VATICAN CITY
National Catholic Register
by Edward Pentin 12/21/2015
After an eighteen-month study and seeking the advice of media experts on reforming the Vatican’s media operation, three Vatican appointments over the past couple of days have signaled the beginning of those reforms.
The Holy See announced today that St. Louis native and former Register and Fox News correspondent Greg Burke is to become the new vice director of the Holy See Press Office, replacing San Marino Passionist Father Ciro Benedettini who has served in the role for 20 years.
The position has until now involved assisting the press office director in staging press conferences, overseeing administration, and disseminating information, as well as sometimes representing the Holy See in Father Lombardi’s absence.
Since June 2012, Burke has served as senior communications adviser at the Secretariat of State, a largely behind-the-scenes role in which he was responsible for the Holy See’s media strategy and helping to improve the Pope’s public image.
Initially hired during the pontificate of Benedict XVI after a series of media “gaffes,” Burke has tried to make the Vatican more media sensitive and aware. He has helped to launch a papal twitter account in December 2012 but his main role has been “putting out fires” and preventing potentially damaging public relations mistakes from reaching the media.
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