While on the Subject of Nuns....

An Italian priest plans to hold a beauty contest for nuns. The Rev. Antonio Rungi tells reporters that Miss Sister 2008 will begin next month on his blog.

"The contestants must be aged between 18 and 40, and can be either full members of an order or novices," The Times of London reports. "Father Rungi said that he expected many who applied to be young, attractive — and non-Italian."

He tells the Associated Press that the photos won't be suggestive. "We are not going to parade nuns in bathing suits," he says. "But being ugly is not a requirement for becoming a nun. External beauty is gift from God, and we mustn't hide it."

Rungi, a theologian and school teacher from the Naples areas, said that visitors to his site will have a month to "vote for the nun they consider a model."

He said the idea was suggested by nuns with whom he works. He hopes there will be dozens of submissions once the site is started. Rungi's blog. Note: Being taught by nuns for twelve years...I don't know what to make of this!