The singer — born Madonna Louise Ciccone — said she'd like a second chance to make things right, vowing she's nothing less than "a good Catholic".

"Hello @Pontifex Francis —I'm a good Catholic. I Swear! I mean I don't Swear," Madonna tweeted at the pope. "It's been a few decades since my last confession. Would it be possible to meet up one day to discuss some important matters?"

The newly single star added, "I've been ex communicated 3 times. It doesn't seem fair."

The pope has yet to respond to Madonna. Read more

Then, during high school she said she became "slightly schizophrenic as I couldn't choose between class virgin or the other kind - both of them had their values as far as I could see".

She disclosed her childhood ambitions to first-time film-maker Stephen Lewicki.

Lewicki directed the 1985 drama film "A Certain Sacrifice" in which Madonna starred.

To put this into context: Madonna's rise to fame started back in 1978. At the time she was a drummer and keen to make headlines in the movies.

Then aged 19, she applied for a starring role in "A Certain Sacrifice".

She signed off the cover letter letter attached to her application for the role with personal details.

These included her height - 5ft 4 inches, her weight - 102lbs, and said she had brown hair and hazel eyes.

She got the part.

The cover letter, written decades before Madonna would go on to be the Queen of Pop, was read to an audience at the "Letters Live" event in central London last week.

The event celebrates remarkable letters and the enduring power of correspondence.

Madonna said her career began "in petulance and precociousness" in her home town of Detroit, Michigan.

She developed a "great dislike" for her high school classmates and teachers but loved drama class.

Madonna recalls that her "infinite impatience" spurred her on to graduate from high school a year early and move on to study music, art and dance.

"I seemed to turn just about everything into a theatrical production."

She would go on to be one of the most powerful names in the modern-day music industry, as well as a dancer, businesswoman and actress.

Source

• North-West Evening Mail
• www.billboard.com

Bishop Dunn's comments, made to the New Zealand Herald, came ahead of performances by Madonna in Auckland.

"There is no question in my mind that some of Madonna's material is highly offensive to Christianity and will be found just as offensive to the majority of people of religious faith, as well as many cultural sensitivities," Bishop Dunn said.

For her Auckland concert, Madonna's stage will be at huge crucifix that will span the arena, with a heart-shaped "Rebel Heart" logo at the end.

The performances are said to feature a "holy water" segment which would feature dancers dressed as bikini-clad nuns performing on cross-shaped stripper poles.

This segment of her show was dropped from a recent concert in Singapore, after authorities deemed that it breached local guidelines.

Singapore's Archbishop William Goh said Catholics had a "moral obligation" not to support those who "denigrate and insult religions".

Bishop Dunn said he concurred with the comments made by his Singapore counterpart, but stopped short of asking his flock not to see Madonna.

He said the archbishop made a valid observation, especially in times of heightened religious sensitivities, that people could not afford to be overly permissive in favour of artistic expression at the expense of respect for one's religion.

"Here in New Zealand religion is not always taken very seriously, yet in addition to Christianity there are people of many other faiths, all together representing over half our population," he said.

"In a multi-cultural and multi-faith society like New Zealand, it is imperative that entertainers not presume their own cultural perspective is that of the majority. Often it is not."

In an interview with Radio Live, Bishop Dunn said there seemed to be greater licence to be offensive to Christians than to other faiths or ethnic groups.

"I'd bet every penny I've got that Madonna dare wouldn't use lyrics as offensive to Islam as she feels free to use with regard to Christianity. That's just a fact, that people would respond with outrage," Bishop Dunn said.

The bishop said he didn't want anything that denigrated Muslims or Maori or any value that people hold dear.

But he confirmed to an interviewer that he was effectively saying that Muslims and Maori seem to be better protected from insult and offense than Christians.

Bishop Dunn said he was calling for good manners and respect.

Sources

• New Zealand Herald
• Radio Live
• Catholic News Agency
• Channel News Asia
• Image: New Zealand Herald

"I never thought there could be people like that who cannot tell the difference between right and wrong and are only driven by desire to make money," said retired Archbishop Oscar Crux of Lingayen-Dagupan.

"It's called amorality not immorality," the prelate said. He also expressed disappointment that some Filipinos seem to approve of the singer's behavior.

Another Catholic bishop in the Philippines earlier called for a boycott of Madonna's "Rebel Heart" concert in Manila, describing it as "subtle attacks of the evil one."

Archbishop Ramon Arguelles of Lipa called on Filipinos to "pray for our country that the devil will not succeed to draw anyone … to his evil ways."

Madonna has been known for performances that feature in the past pole-dancing nuns and large crosses.

The National Historical Commission of the Philippines is looking at possible violations committed by the singer who danced on stage with a Philippine flag during her two-day performance.

The commission said it might recommend the banning of the artist from future performances in the country for violating a law that prohibits the wearing of the Filipino flag as costume.

Local organizers of the concert will also face penalties and one-year imprisonment if found guilty of condoning the use of the national color. Foreign organizers of the show can also face deportation for disrespecting the Philippine flag.

Source

UCAN
Reuters
Daily Mail
Image: Reuters

In a statement released on February 20, Archbishop William Goh reminded Catholics of their "moral obligation not to support those who denigrate and insult religions . . .".

Archbishop Goh added that "'pseudo arts that promote sensuality, rebellion, disrespect, pornography, contamination of the mind of the young, abusive freedom, individualism at the expense of the common good, vulgarity, lies and half-truths", should not be supported.

"In multi-racial, multi-religious Singapore," he said, "we cannot afford to be overly permissive in favour of artistic expression at the expense of one's religion."

Madonna's music and performances were described as blasphemous and disrespectful because of her use of Catholic and Christian symbols.

There is no neutrality in faith, Archbishop Goh said.

"Being present at these events is itself a counter-witness."

The archbishop added: "Obedience to God and his commandments must come before the arts."

According to the statement, Singapore authorities have assured Archbishop Goh restrictions have been put in place to ensure that religiously-offensive content that breaches local guidelines will not be allowed on stage.

Madonna, who is touring Asia on her Rebel Heart tour, will perform at the National Stadium in Singapore on Sunday, February 28.

Last month, the Media Development Authority (MDA) in Singapore said that the concert had been given an R18 rating as it contains sexually suggestive content.

The authority stated that religiously-sensitive content, like the song "Holy Water", would not be performed.

A bishop in the Philippines called for Catholics to boycott Madonna concerts there earlier this week.

Madonna was raised as a Catholic in the United States, but later in life converted to a type of Judaism.

Sources

• Asia One
• Reuters
• Hollowverse
• Image: South China Morning Post