Something is brewing in Italy. I do not have a good feeling about this.
Many politicians have been pushing for a confidence vote on Romano Prodi, the Prime Minister of Italy. Prodi has given in and that vote will soon take place. This comes in the wake of Clemente Mastella’s resignation as the Justice Minister caused by scandalous charges leveled against him and his wife. But Mastella promised that his party (Christian Democrat Party) would continue to back Prodi. Then something happened — and he reversed his decision; he is no longer supporting Prodi’s government. Many are claiming the change was at the insistance and intervention of the Vatican.
But is this all? No. Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco, the President of the Italians Bishops’ Conference, has been urging Catholics to have a more visible and “courageous” presence in the “public square.” And he means it: he has had several death threats, requiring police protection, even at Mass. But even more interesting is the fact that he has claimed that the Pope’s speech at Rome’s La Sapienza University was stopped at the insistence of the Italian Government; the Italian Government, of course, denies this charge.
This seems to be the start of something big; it also seems to be only the visible manifestation of a cultural war that is at its initial stages in Italy. I do not know where it is going, nor how it will end. Anyone have any ideas?
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