Vatican Pardons Beatles: Starr Rejects Clemency

The international media has had some fun reporting that Pope Benedict XVI sanctioned a front-page article in the Vatican's L'Osservatore Romano this week, in which the Beatles were praised for their "beautiful" music. The article has been interpreted as a kind of pardon. It read, in part:

"It's true they took stupefying substances; overwhelmed by success they lived dissolute and uninhibited years; in an excess of boastfulness they even said they were more famous than Jesus; they had fun launching mysterious messages, even Satanic, according to improbable declarations ... sure they weren't the best example for young people at the time, but neither (were they) the worst."

The Beatles said they were more famous than Jesus? This must have been news to Paul McCartney and Ringo Starrr. It certainly would have been to the late George Harrison. So, there is little surprise in reports that Starr has, in so many words, rejected the Vatican's pardon. Not content to leave it alone, L’Osservatore Romano responded to Starr, noting John Lennon did not need forgiveness because he had already apologized for HIS comments (back in 1966). The Vatican also observed that Paul McCartney had been critical of Lennon.

So, if you are keeping score at home, the Vatican owes three formal apologies. See story here.