The Village Chronicle 

Latest headlines ….. 

·                     Cardinal Pell accused of paedophile cover-up

The Editor,

Sydney Morning Herald.                                                                   July 8, 2008.  

‘Pell accused of sex abuse cover-up’, Herald, July 8.  

Western governments like to depict terrorism as a uniquely moral evil which democratic states do not engage in.  

But history is filled with instances in which even democratic governments have sanctioned or perpetrated acts of violence that would ordinarily be described as 'terrorist', from bombings and assassinations to black ops and 'dirty wars'.  

New South Wales Premier Morris Iemma has accused the Rail, Tram and Bus Union (RTBU) of trying to blackmail the State Government by calling a strike during World Youth Day (WYD). 

The rail union says it is planning to stop work for 24 hours on Thursday next week, when Pope Benedict has several events planned in the CBD. 

In 2004, the Vatican launched a global diplomatic campaign for the recognition of Christianphobia.  

The need for such a campaign, according to the sponsor of the UK Parliamentary debate on the issue, was, “the relentless assault on the nation’s much loved Christian heritage. It’s about how anti-Christian sentiment is increasing.”  

After fights over rising costs and falling pilgrim estimates, government and church both need World Youth Day to be a hit, writes Linda Morris. 

In the autumn of 2003, a high-ranking Vatican official visited Sydney for a week. He was Cardinal James Stafford, a member of John Paul II's inner circle and a mate of the Sydney Archbishop, Cardinal George Pell.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd says he can't stand artwork that depicts naked children. 

Mr Rudd today said work such as that shown in this month's edition of Art Monthly Australia did the opposite of restoring dignity to the debate over depictions of children in art. 

The Catholic Archbishop of Sydney, Cardinal Pell, said yesterday there was nothing immoral about commercialism as he opened the first official World Youth Day venue: a merchandise tent in Hyde Park. 

The Archdiocese of Sydney is contributing $15 million toward WYD events and denies it will be making a profit from the event. On optimistic days the pilgrim juggernaut is expected to hit 500,000 participants and bring millions of tourist dollars into the state.  

What follows are just a few of the July 4th lies and errors that we are supposed to blindly accept: 

·                     The military is glorious, its heroes heroic, and our support is patriotic

The sex industry is expected to be blessed with an increase in customers thanks to the most unlikely of sources - World Youth Day. 

The remorseless destruction of the Murray-Darling river system is arguably the most grotesque of this country's more obscene political and environmental crimes of the 20th century. It's right up there at the top.  

US President George W Bush will attend the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics, the White House says. 

Spokeswoman Dana Perino said Mr Bush will also visit South Korea and Thailand as part of the trip.