An Italian priest has been thwarted after publicising his plans (whch zipped round the world, whether he liked it or not) to hold an online beauty pageant for nuns.

And no, I haven't been nipping at the communion wine: it's true. Apparently Father Antonio Rungi hoped that the pageant would reverse stereotypes of nuns as ugly (his ideal nun is, apparently, Sofia Loren, who played a nun in the 1971 movie White Sister) and draw more people into his church near Naples. He had even hoped that, one day, the contest would be big enough to leave his blog and become part of the Miss Italia pageant.

According to the Daily Mail, one of many newspapers which gleefully reported the story, "It will be up to them whether they choose to pose with the traditional veil or with their heads uncovered. Reverend Rungi assured that contestants would not wear swimsuits or revealing outfits because it was inner beauty that counted...' yet, on the other hand, 'External beauty is gift from God, and we mustn't hide it.' "

Father Rungi had asked nuns to email their photos to him (ahem) and he was to run the contest on his blog, starting this month.

However, he began receiving emails: "I have had some e-mails from Christians who perhaps have not grasped the evangelising spirit of the initiative," he said. And finally, his bishop stepped in. According to Reuters, ""My superiors were not happy. The local bishop was not happy, but they did not understand me either."

I think Father Rungi may be a bit bored and a bit lonely. All that time sitting around writing his blog - he should be taking a nightclass, getting a pet, taking up a hobby. Perhaps his diocese could have a whip-round for a few jigsaws and some cane chairs in need of restoration?

As for you, if your mind's still resolutely fixed on nuns, you'll have to make do with a spot of nun-chucking.