Here's a story strangely reminiscent of Charles “Chuck” Colson, one of the perpetrators of the infamous Watergate scandal which brought down the Presidency of Richard Nixon, who later became a prison minister advocating the virtues of honesty and personal responsibility.
Well, now we read of Monsignor Edoardo Vigano who spoke on the subject of fake news at a conference in Rome just six week after he himself resigned as head of the Vatican communication office over a fake news controversy.
What hubris, to say the least!
In the April 28 panel, titled “Fake News and the Ethical Responsibilities of Media,” Monsignor Vigano stressed the importance of transparency in the media and said journalists who publish false or inaccurate information risk “poisoning” their readers.
He, of course, should know.
On March 21st, the good Monsignor resigned as Prefect of the Vatican Secretariat for Communications following what has come to be known as the “Lettergate” scandal.
It began after the launch of the 11-book series “The Theology of Pope Francis,” published by Libreria Editrice Vaticana, the Vatican publishing house overseen by the Vatican's Secretariat for Communications.
A letter from Benedict XVI praising Francis' theological and philosophical formation was read aloud at the event, however, the secretariat later admitted to tampering with an image of the letter that was sent to media, blurring out lines in which Benedict said that he had not read the full series, and did not plan to do so, and therefore was not able to offer an in-depth analysis of the text.
Days later, it was revealed that further paragraphs had been left out in which Benedict questioned the inclusion in the series of a theologian known for his “anti-papal initiatives.”
After receiving pressure from the media, the Secretariat published the full letter, explaining that it was confidential and never intended to be published in its entirety.
Following Monsignor Vigano’s resignation, Pope Francis named Monsignor Lucio Ruiz, former secretary of the department, as an interim prefect, but asked Monsignor Vigano to stay on in an advisory role, which he continues to hold.
Why these failed actors never understand that their time on the stage is over and they should depart amazes me.
Monsignor Vigano, a discredited communications officers, gives a talk on the dangers of “fake” news -- not an apology, mind you, but a call to journalistic integrity!
Unbelievable!
And all this in the shadow of the Vatican.
No wonder the faithful’s credibility in the leadership of the Church is so terribly shattered.
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