IRELAND
Irish Independent
Gerry O’Sullivan
Published 19/07/2014
A Mexican psychologist, a British peer and an Irishman walk into the Vatican. That line might just read like there’s a jokey punchline coming (there’s not), but the Vatican’s latest attempt to reform its communications involves such an international line-up, and the Vatican is very serious.
The international flavour of the committee announced last week to propose – though not to implement – media reforms in the Vatican reflects Pope Francis’ determination to bring in outsiders to help the ongoing reform process. Most notable is the committee’s chairperson, Lord Patten, a former governor of Hong Kong and former chairman of the BBC Trust.
The Holy See said the new committee would propose reforms and publish a report and plan within 12 months. The other members of the committee are from USA, Germany, France, Mexico, and Singapore.
Representing the Vatican on the committee is Mons. Paul Tighe, secretary of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, who will act as secretary of the committee. Vatican Radio, the Secretariat of State, and its internet service and newspaper will also be represented.
Mons. Tighe is a Dublin priest, an academic who ran Archbishop Diarmuid Martin’s public affairs office and a close friend and confidante of the Archbishop. He worked at the Vatican many years ago and is seen as the Archbishop’s eyes and ears in Rome. Although he had no formal qualifications in communications, he was appointed to the Rome post in late 2007. His academic training helped him quickly establish himself in the number two post at the social communications ‘ministry’ of the Vatican, which liaises with Catholic universities worldwide.
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