Nicole Winfield covers the Vatican for Associated Press.
Sometimes, she has committed actual journalism. More on that in a second.
Here, she covers for the Vatican in a gooey puff-piece which omits almost every whiff of corruption surrounding the pontiff's inner circle and assorted pals. There is a nod to the disastrous trial of Cardinal Becciu...but even that deletes references to the pontiff's involvement in the land deal gone wrong and the prosecution's Nixonian attempts to cover it up.
And she would know about that...because she wrote the last link immediately above. But that wasn't worth a mention here? Curious.
Of course, it could be multiplied with all sorts of other problematic issues...starting with selling out China's Catholics, or Don Mercedes, or lying about the Chilean abuse scandal, or rewarding a guy who lied to his face about sexually harassing seminarians with a Roman sinecure...et cetera, et cetera, et cetera.
But no, he's supposedly gone into "no more Mr. Nice Guy" mode.
Those who have been paying attention have known that since the start. He's nice to those in his favor.
I lean to agreement with this commentary, though I think there was plenty of scandal to report in the 1978-2013 era as well.
ReplyDeleteThat said, I don't think the Catholic Church in its official organs has ever been known for criticism in journalism. On the Right, you'd have to look for the conspiracy theory of the month club and LC PSAs at the NCReg and similar organs. And if you want honest hard hits, you'd have to read (gasp!) the NCRep. But heaven forbid ...
Jason Berry and his colleagues at the paper deserve the hosannas of Heaven for their work on clerical child rape. Absolutely an eternal, glorious deed worthy of honor.
ReplyDeleteBut the Rep publishes no "honest hard hits" about the regime under their byline.
Their current message to readers:
"Listening, investigating, reporting: A message from Francis and an invitation to readers"
Positively Registerian in its fealty to Rome's current Micromanager in Chief.
Not really. I still see a lot of questioning him and the institution on issues important to him. They report on his critics in detail, certainly. Diocesan organs, on the other hand, limit themselves to the bishop's calendar, whom he ordains, and other feel-good bits. NCRep doesn't let up on the problems. And they don't shy away from PF blunders on Chile, Becciu, and questions about Pell, Sarah, etc.. But yes, they like him better than his predecessors, as do I.
DeleteLooks pretty celebratory from the Rep's reporters and writers from here. For instance, on Becciu, Berry said in July that the trial shows reform-mindedness in action. Nothing since--certainly nothing about prosecutorial abuse or testimony regaring the pontiff's involvement. There's also something from Mike Winters, but he's to the pontiff what Hannity is to Trump, so I can't critique Winters for journalistic flaws.
DeleteOther than that, silence. And certainly not criticism about blunders. The section on Zanchetta is even more abbreviated, and not a peep from in-house. But harassment of adults barely registers in the ecclesiastical consciousness, so it is easy for reporting to overlook, I suppose.
But you read it more than I do, so there's certain to be more there on various topics than I am aware of. And I do seem to recall a bit of criticism about Chile from the site.
https://www.ncronline.org/news/accountability/cardinal-becciu-goes-court-francis-financial-reforms-also-trial
https://www.ncronline.org/search/site/becciu
https://www.ncronline.org/search/site/zanchetta
The main distinction between the NCRs: one actively peddles conspiracy memes. The other, for its faults (and it does have them) generally hews to good journalism when it decides to practice it. I find too much op-ed in either organ. But opinionated people will opinion--not unlike us bloggers, I suppose.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, Christmas blessings on you and your family in the coming season.
Merry Christmas to you and yours, too!
ReplyDelete