By Deepa Babington  NEW YORK (Reuters)  

It's difficult to say which seems more unlikely:  Aerosmith's bad-boy lead singer reciting a prayer written by the Pope, or a credit card stamped with the Vatican's "brand name." Both projects are the brainchild of Rich Garson, whose fledgling company MAXX International Inc. (MXII.OB), aims to strike gold in what he calls the "spirituality marketplace" -- for products and services that fulfill spiritual longings that transcend the lines of organized religion. "It's not about Catholicism, it's about spirituality," said Garson, who was brought up in the Jewish faith.  "This Pope knows no spiritual boundaries."

  In the brave new world of "spiritual marketing," a veteran rocker like Steve Tyler finds common ground with John Paul II, and imagery by Michelangelo from the Vatican's collection looks smart on a piece of plastic as the logo of the New York Yankees baseball team.

  In a CD to be released later this year, the Aerosmith lead singer will join a bevy of other celebrities in reciting verses written by the Pope, someone not normally associated with the pop icons of the world.  The CD, called World Voice 2000, will feature everyone from teen sensations Britney Spears and 'N Sync to spiritual guru deepak Chopra and others. ...Garson, 39, who once handled media promotions for Michael Jackson, denies the CD and the Vatican cards are designed solely as money makers, and insists the main motive behind them is a desire to spread the Pope's message.  "The project is bigger than us," he said. ...Armed with the rights to the Pope's private prayers, Garson spent the better part of the year making the CD, following celebrities such as Celine Dion to Florida and Spears to Las Vegas to record them reading the Pope's words. ...The Vatican earns a tidy 12.5 percent royalty on the CD and book deals, and as well as a percentage on the card deal, a portion of which will be channeled into its orphanages, Garson said.

Catholic Church in England and Wales
The Holy See [Vatican web site]
 Maxx International

  THE Pope, whose album Abba Pater released last year has sold more than a million copies, will soon be back in the charts: the pop stars Britney Spears and Ricky Martin are planning a new CD of his prayers. The collection, which could be in the shops by September, is also expected to feature the voices of Celine Dion, the Canadian singer known for her theme song for the film Titanic, and the pop band N Sync. The project has been masterminded by an American producer, Rick Garson, who says it would give hope to the young.

Last year the Pontiff had an audience with the Irish stars Bono and Bob Geldof, and three years ago he attended a pop concert in Bologna with Bob Dylan. He even based his Bologna homily on Dylan's hit, Blowin' in the Wind.

When two years ago, Italian television marked the 20th anniversary of his papacy, he surprised presenters by phoning in to thank them on air. Last year, with his blessing, teams of priests and nuns took part in a fashion show in Rome and sang pop songs in a television karaoke show featuring risque jokes and scantily clad girls.