Beatles' benediction

Yesterday , all their troubles seemed so far away; now that it looks as though they're here to stay... the Vatican has discovered it believes in the Beatles.

John Lennon imagined there's no heaven, but if his spirit is indeed around in the ether-after if not the ever-after , it will surely be squirming at the Catholic Church's suo motu forgiveness of their excesses in the L'Osservatore Romano.

The Vatican's official newspaper observed last week that the Beatles “took drugs, lived life to excess... even said they were bigger than Jesus and put out mysterious messages that were possibly even Satanic,” but reasoned that they “may not have been the best example for the youth... but they were by no means the worst. Their beautiful melodies changed music and continue to give pleasure.”

This benediction comes weeks after their record, Revolver was included in the Vatican's list of 10 ‘approved' pop albums, along with Carlos Santana, Pink Floyd, U2, Michael Jackson and others. Less than two years ago the Church even forgave John Lennon for his heretical 1966 pronouncement that “Christianity will go... We're more popular than Jesus now. I don't know which will go first, rock 'n' roll or Christianity.” Of course both are still around, so Lennon's prophetic talents have not been proved.

Despite this entente, traditionalists need not fear that packed churches will soon reverberate to the strains of ‘All you need is love' , as uncomfortable questions may then arise about the original gospel according to John, Paul, George and Ringo.

Still, time has mellowed the Beatles too. Lennon told a magazine that he was a ‘most religious fellow' not long before his death, Harrison became a Hare- (Rama Hare Krishna)-son , Starr recently revealed that “God is in my life” , and McCartney, a nonpractising Roman Catholic, has never been a vocal critic. Now with the Vatican crooning ‘Love me, do,” the Fab Four may as well ‘Give Peace a Chance' too.