Ban the Pope from Barca!

The Pope beatified 233 "martyrs" of the Spanish Civil War in the biggest mass beatification ceremony in the history of the Catholic church, this March 2001.

This brings to 471 the number of Spanish victims of the 1936-39 civil war already beatified. All were allied towards Franco's Fascists against the democratically elected Spanish republican forces.

The Vatican agreed last year to beatify an astonishing 10,000 Spaniards as "martyrs of the faith, victims of hatred against the church". None was among the tens of thousands of Franco's victims during the Civil, or of mass executions during his 40-year dictatorship. Nor were there any honouring of the many religious people who died defending the republic against Franco's Fascists.

FC Barcelona has for much of its history has seen as more than just a symbol for anti-fascists, and freedom loving people everywhere. However the award of honoury lifetime membership of the club to the current Pope in 1980, has sacrificed for many our hopes and dreams of our club. The latest act of beatification of Fascists, leaves us with no option but to request the removal of the Pope from our members books. His name remaining amonst many honourable people, past and present is a disgrace for the thousands of Barcelona fans who supported the Republic, and later Catalunya in the face of massive oppression on behalf of Franco. How many of our mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters were punished greatly by the regime now held in such esteem by the Catholic Church.

Dont ever ever forget your history FC Barcelona.