Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Catholic church in row over 'Homer Simpson is a Catholic' claim

The official Vatican newspaper, L’Osservatore Romano, said parents should let their children watch ‘the adventures of the little guys in yellow’.

The paper added: ‘Few people know it and he does everything to hide it but it is true: Homer J Simpson is Catholic.’

It quoted an analysis by a Jesuit priest, the Rev Francesco Occhetta, discussing Homer and Bart’s conversion in a 2005 episode after meeting a priest, Father Sean, voiced by actor Liam Neeson.

However, Simpsons producer Al Jean said he was baffled by the statement. He said the Simpson family attends the First Church of Springfield ‘which is decidedly Presbylutheran’.

Jean added: ‘We’ve pretty clearly shown Homer is not Catholic. I really don’t think he could go without eating meat on Fridays for even an hour.’

The newspaper said the show was one of few which regularly covered religion and God.

SIC: Metro/INT'L