DENVER (CO)
Crux
July 19, 2019
By John L. Allen Jr.
Rome – When the Vatican announced Thursday that Pope Francis had named a new spokesman, most early reaction suggested the move didn’t exactly inspire confidence about an upgrade in the role of the press office.
The pope tapped a 43-year-old Italian layman who’s worked in the press office for the last decade, and who’s known primarily for his organizational chops, his charm, and his command of languages (including a flawless British-accented English.) While those are all good qualities, it struck most observers as an option for a competent functionary rather than a genuine power broker.
Yet just to play devil’s advocate, I’d like to offer a brief refresher in the recent history of Vatican communications.
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