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White smoke or black?

Francis X. Rocca

This Saturday at his summer residence at Castel Gandolfo, 15 miles southeast of Rome, Pope Benedict will receive participants in the FINA world swimming championships, presumably including Michael Phelps.

Given Phelps’ now-notorious form of off-duty recreation, some observers may take this as the latest evidence that Benedict is truly a “green pontiff.”

But anyone who thinks that is probably smoking something.


UPDATE: AP is reporting that Phelps will skip his chance to meet the pope in order to rest up for the final of the 100-meter butterfly. Just imagine what the pious will say if he doesn’t end up winning …

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