Somehow, I don't think Pope Paul VI Would Have Watched the World Cup

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Rocco the Exasperating who is generally correct and who blogs at Whispers in the Loggia, has an important message:

World Cup public service announcement

This is important: If you need to call Pope Benedict XVI for any reason Tuesday night [3:00 E.D.T], wait until halftime or risk a canonical trial. As Rocco Palmo reports:

It's definitely summer at the Vatican. Further proof of this is that the Pope, together with his trusty secretary, Msgr Georg Ganswein, and the four laywomen of the Memores Domini who assist in the papal apartment, will be spending Tuesday night watching the World Cup semifinal pitting the German pontiff's native side against the Italians.

This news comes from no less a source than Ganswein, who told the ADNKronos news agency that, indeed, Germany-Italy "is at the center" of discussion and interest in the papal apartments. A big-screen television is being brought in just for the occasion, to boot.

But who's the Ratzi-Bear rooting for? While Ganswein readily admitted to waving the flag for Germany, and the MD contingent are hard-core Italy fans, he made it known that "The Pope is always impartial and will have as great a heart on Tuesday for Germany as for the team of blue," a reference to the Italian side.

Apparently, on Friday, Georg was watching the match against Argentina that won Germany its semifinal berth. The Pope was by his side, holding up dinner for a few minutes to keep an eye.
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