Lack of Vatican communications strategy on scandal baffles pope's U.S. defenders

[unafraid]

Patience and deliberation have served the Church well in Her history. If this strategy does not conform to the modern media concepts of the sound byte and the five-minute news cycle, so be it. Jesus was a nonconformist in His own right. The Vatican should not base a single decision on prevailing mass-hysteria, and certainly not on prodding from the likes of Hitchens, Dowd and Dawkins. I trust in the judgement of Pope Benedict. He is, in my estimation, a pontif of high ideals and principles…a truly Holy man. Those who do not share this opinion have every right to hold onto their own views.

 

[Non_Serviam]

That was a good example of the value of readily available information.

Catholics today need to have the information they need to explain the situation to family, coworkers, friends, etc.

For example the recent criticism of the pope regarding the priest in Oakland in the 1980s was totally bogus when you know the facts! Fr. J. Fessio does a nice job explaining that case. catholicworldreport.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=168:lets-get-the-story-straight&catid=37:exclusive&Itemid=54

Bill Donahue at the Catholic League is also a good source of information, including statistics.

The clergy seems timid on this probably because they are embarrassed and also because their comments can look like a cover up attempt. The Catholic laity has to step forward on this but we need to be provided with the factual information.

I must confess that I find Fessio’s arguments to be unconvincing, although he has done a better job of presenting them and providing context than any of the others who have made the same arguments.While this was a request for laicization (and not simply a request to be dispensed from chastity, the Cardinal had been made aware of all of the facts in the case including the abuse. It should have led him to take the extraordinary step of dispensing someone that younf.

Why?

Because, at that time, a priest was still considered a “safe adult”. By continuing to keep the young man in the clerical state, the church was witholding information parents needed to ensure the safety of their children. Even if he wasn’t interacting with children as part of his “official duties” (and there is some dispute about this) he still had the credibility the priesthood gave to use a cover in his off hours.

The result has been that in general society, a priest is no longer considered a “safe adult”-by not protecting the uniform, respect for it has been lost by society.

As for Donahue, in my eyes, this performance has totally destroyed any credibility he might have had:

youtube.com/watch?v=dKLlxAgMO-w

youtube.com/watch?v=mvLPLGHD_OI

I believe the church can do better than this. For its sake I hope that it does.

 

[Dale_M]

I am beginning to think that the pope and the curia just don’t get it. They regard the press, with very well-searched articles, as spreading “pretty gossip”, and are trying to ignore or play down the many cases in Ireland, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, France, Italy, Canada (Newfoundland and Ottawa, for example) and the US. But the biggest troublemakers are in the US–that’s where the New York Times, Boston Globe, LA Times and the National Catholic Reporter are, after all. It’s *always *the US–apparently Benedict said once, that US population is 5% of the world’s Catholics, and that he spends 90% of his time on them. What troublemakers.

It is not until the Vatican takes full ownership of the scandals is it going to be possible to achieve reconciliation and move on.

Again, I would point to the statement from the Vatican spokesman, Rev. Federico Lombardi, quoted in the first post. The Vatican is resorting to a 'castle" strategy, which allows its residents to feel safe, but also allows the countryside to be devastated.

The Church needs to realize, own up to, and respond to, how much damage is being done by this crisis.

 

[homoreus]

Again, I would point to the statement from the Vatican spokesman, Rev. Federico Lombardi, quoted in the first post. The Vatican is resorting to a 'castle" strategy, which allows its residents to feel safe, but also allows the countryside to be devastated.

The Church needs to realize, own up to, and respond to, how much damage is being done by this crisis.

I’m sure as individuals, the Pope and cardinals would not hesitate to throw themselves to the lions. But they have pastoral responsibilities to everyone else, and it’s not as though they have God’s powers to jump into the fire, “BRB, LOL!”.

Shrewd as serpents and simple as doves. Easy to say, but also quite taxing on the character.

 

[Dale_M]

I’m sure as individuals, the Pope and cardinals would not hesitate to throw themselves to the lions. But they have pastoral responsibilities to everyone else, and it’s not as though they have God’s powers to jump into the fire, “BRB, LOL!”.

The problem, at least as I see it, is that they are shirking some of their pastoral responsibilities by not engaging with the news media more than they are. Hiring media consultants, and listening to them, would probably be in the best interest of the Church.

 

[Corki]

Even considering the malice behind a lot of the coverage if the Vatican, they have not been helping themselves. It often takes days for Fr Lombardi to respond to a story & some of those statements sound almost Nixonian.

The mistake was in trying to respond to the news stories as they came up. The Vatican should not be expected to respond to each news story; and it should not respond to individual stories at all, just to the aggregate. The less said from this point on the better. The press and even some “Catholic” defenders don’t really want truth. They just want words they can pick apart. As they sometimes say on CAF - don’t feed the trolls.

 

[Non_Serviam]

The mistake was in trying to respond to the news stories as they came up. The Vatican should not be expected to respond to each news story; and it should not respond to individual stories at all, just to the aggregate. The less said from this point on the better. The press and even some “Catholic” defenders don’t really want truth. They just want words they can pick apart. As they sometimes say on CAF - don’t feed the trolls.

You may want to read the news story quoted in this thread to see what a more positive approach to crisis communications can achieve.

 

[Corki]

You may want to read the news story quoted in this thread to see what a more positive approach to crisis communications can achieve.

Actually, that’s exactly what I mean. The link you provided was about a local matter, handled locally and a statement was made by a local spokesman. The Vatican does not need to respond, especially to some of the hysterical statements masquarading as journalism.

 

[Non_Serviam]

Actually, that’s exactly what I mean. The link you provided was about a local matter, handled locally and a statement was made by a local spokesman. The Vatican does not need to respond, especially to some of the hysterical statements masquarading as journalism.

Yes it was handled locally, the media got the information they needed to credibly tell the public that it was handled and thus were able to report it as positively as possible for a story of this nature and even include a positive point from the Vatican’s spokesman about how the church could help other organizations to reduce abuse in their midst. Have you seen that point in any other story?

You are right that the Vatcan shouldn’t wade into every local story, but when a story does come out that has a direct link to the vatican or the pope they should follow the same sort of proactive approach as was followed in Denver-then there would be a lot less hysteria on both sides.

 

[didymus]

Sounds as if you’ve summed it all up and are giving the Vatican a directive. Let’s see if they acquiesce to your demands.

Sorry it came across that way, I intended my comments as an observation, nothing more.

 

[homoreus]

The problem, at least as I see it, is that they are shirking some of their pastoral responsibilities by not engaging with the news media more than they are. Hiring media consultants, and listening to them, would probably be in the best interest of the Church.

IMHO hiring media consultants will not necessarily lead to action in the best interests of the Church. The Church is expected to, among other things, steward its flock in doctrine and other teachings, including “turning the other cheek”. Hiring media consultants should be done extremely carefully and they have to be made to understand that certain media values may well be contrary to Church teaching. There is some tactical value in taking a no-holds-barred adversarial approach, meeting propaganda with counterpropaganda. But whether this is in the best interests of the Church, IMHO is doubtful.

 

[Joegrane]

Considering all of the questions and allegations of coverups by church leadership I’m not convinced they are the best people to lead the defense moves. Catholic media is very important for informing Catholics who will then be equipped to spread the truth to their friends and coworkers.

Church leadership needs to equip laity in the media with the information they need to help defend the church. A good example of this is Bill Donahue of the Catholic League. He appears on TV and radio programs confronting the dishonest liberals in the media.

I think the church leaders could occasionally provide parishioners with a fact sheet. A fact sheet would not be interpreted as an attempt to “cover up” anything. For example it could include the facts that in the 1980s the local bishop had the authority to remove a priest,s faculties --essentially “defrock him” --and they usually did not even need to inform Rome before doing it.

Also in 2009 the number of minors who made allegations against priests in the entire US was SIX! This fact should be plastered on billboards across the entire US. They might also include the question, “how many allegations were made by children in your county’s school districts last year?”

 

[Ecoclimber]

Let’s turn to scripture to find out what should be done in these cases. What would St. Peter or St. Paul do in a situation like this? Wouldn’t they have removed anyone from office who committed these sins? We have the Epistle of St. Paul who stated the qualifications for leadership within the Church. There is an implicit understanding that if they no longer meet those qualifications, then they should be removed. In Cor 5:12-13 "What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? God will judge those outside, “Expel the wicked man from among you.” In Cor 5:11 “But now I am writing you that you must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral…With such a man do not even eat.”

What would Jesus do as mention in previous posts. In the book of Revelations, Jesus was speaking to the angels, bishops, of the various churches. He stated they must repent or He will remove their lampstand. His theme throughout Rev 2 & 3 was acknowledge your sins, Repent, Repent or else worse things will happen. Jesus will come and fight against them with the sword of His mouth. For the church of Laodicea, Jesus speaks, “So because you are lukewarm, I will spew you out of my mouth… Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent” Very somber warnings.

Jesus just might be using the enemy to come against the Church to purify the Church for He wants a perfect Bride without spot or blemish. We are commanded by Jesus to Bless those who curse use in order to receive a blessings. Matt 5:44.

I cannot verify this but this was from a news service on the web.

Vatican sources said the Pope considers the jamboree with the priests in June an appropriate occasion for him to lead the whole church in a “Day of Request for Pardon” of the victims and their families for the wrong done by a small percentage of priests in abusing children and minors in many countries, and the wrong done by bishops in covering up that abuse or protecting the predators.

The meeting would be appropriate for a day of fasting as well as penance, they say. On the papal flight last week-end Benedict made a second allusion to the abuse scandal, and its devastating effect on the moral authority of the church and its pastors, describing the church as the body of Jesus Christ “wounded by our sins”.