Television's most dysfunctional family has received the heavenly seal of approval - the Roman Catholic Church has praised The Simpsons for the show's dealings with religion.

The Vatican's newspaper L'Osservatore Romano published a bizarre article on Tuesday lauding the long running animated show - insisting "many today wouldn't know how to laugh," if the series hadn't been aired.

The newspaper story insisted The Simpsons' success is due to its "realistic and intelligent writing" and thanked the show's producers for depicting family patriarch Homer's struggle with his own faith through its 20 years on the small screen.

The article adds, "Homer finds in God his last refuge, even though he sometimes gets His name sensationally wrong. But these are just minor mistakes; after all, the two know each other well."

L'Osservatore Romano recently paid tribute to Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, for highlighting the "sacrifice" needed for good to triumph over evil.

Image © Fox Broadcasting

(This news article provided by World Entertainment News Network)