Vatican: Washing machine liberated women

I first heard this on NPR this morning:

The Vatican has figured out women's liberation. The Vatican newspaper says the washing machine did more to liberate women in the 20th century than the pill or the right to work. The article is entitled: "The Washing Machine and the Liberation of Women - Put in the Detergent, Close the Lid and Relax."

Some related links from Google news:

• Guardian.co.uk: The Vatican says washing machines have done more for women than the pill. What planet are they on?
• globeandmail.com: Did the washing machine liberate women?
• Slashdot: Vatican Says Washing Machine Did Most To Liberate Women
• cnet news: Vatican credits gadget for liberating women

Pretty funny. Sounds like something that should have originated on The Onion, but it's real. Go Catholics!