From: "Rich Gauszka" 

Even more frightening that was that they kept the castrati up until 1959.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,3604,536420,00.html

Revelations that the Vatican encouraged the castration of choir boys in the
name of art for hundreds of years have prompted calls for a papal apology.
Human rights groups, historians and Italian commentators said the Pope, a
singer himself, should ask forgiveness for his predecessors' role in the
mutilation of castrati singers.

New research suggests that the employment of castrati was tolerated by the
Vatican as late as 1959, long after other states had banned it as barbaric.

From the 16th century onwards generations of Italian boys were castrated in
the hope that their voices, prevented from breaking, would combine a
child's high register with the vocal power of a man.

Their ability to sing beyond normal human limits enraptured opera-goers,
emperors and popes, who commissioned a choir of castrati to perform in the
Sistine chapel. An edict by St Paul prevented women singing in church.



"John Cuccia"  wrote in message
news:s0rk30tj4thruejhdo17havkiuisj9e94d{at}4ax.com...
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/02/23/international/europe/23CND-VATI.html
> Excerpt:
> "VATICAN CITY, Feb. 23 - A report on child sexual abuse that the
> Vatican released today found fault with and challenged American
> bishops' zero tolerance policy of seeking to remove from ministry any
> Roman Catholic priest who has abused a child."
>
>
>
> Are they worried about running out of priests?

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