God Squad Meets in Secret Summit

“Pope
John Paul met the Dalai Lama on Thursday but the Vatican, which has very
thorny relations with China, gave the visit a low profile. The name of
the exiled spiritual leader of Tibet did not appear on the list of people
received by the Pope in the Vatican’s daily bulletin.

A spokesman said this was because it was a brief courtesy visit and the
content was exclusively religious, although other such visits with religious
leaders have been listed. The Dalai Lama later said he had no problem
with the Vatican’s attitude.

“That’s the right description. It was a short visit,” he said. “My main
purpose [was] my expression of admiration and appreciation for what [the
Pope] has done and his dream. In spite of his age and difficult physical
condition he’s really determined for peace and religious understanding.”
The Vatican has difficult ties with Beijing. Chinese Catholics are not
allowed to recognise the Pope’s authority and must join a state-backed
“patriotic church”. Relations between China and the Dalai Lama have appeared
to thaw in the past 18 months, but China still objects to governments
talking to him.

Unconfirmed reports suggest they were conferring on the ecumenical
implications of the upcoming nuptial between polytheistic golf superstar
Tiger Woods and his Swedish ego-masseuse. Early reports have the Dalai
Lama in favor, while the Pope is not too sure……

“Despite the elegantly elucidated position of the Dow Brigade, we are
unsure if God intended that the sacred sacrament of marriage be extended
to people who want to marry Tigers," according to a Vatican spokesman.

from the Sydney Sun Herald