Bis repetita non placent

Pope Francis has again granted an interview to the journalist Eugenio Scalfari, who proclaims his atheism everywhere, loud and clear.  The last time, in October, someone noticed that the conversation had not been recorded but transcribed from memory....  This time, according to the spokesman of the Holy See, quotation marks were lacking.... 

These formal remarks, as much as they may reveal the lack of seriousness of this journalist and of those who allow him to operate and operate again, are nothing compared to the statements that are reported as having been pronounced by the Pope:  in October, “Everyone has his own idea of Good and Evil and everyone must choose to follow the Good and fight Evil according to the idea that he has formed for himself.”  In July:  “The problem (of priests marrying) certainly exists, but it is not widespread.  It will take time, but there are solutions and I will find them.” What one expects are not reflections on Scalfari’s unreliability, but a clear denial.  In this context:  against relativism, against the marriage of priests. 

Now they are content to remove the October interview from the Vatican website and to ridicule the “unsophisticated readers” of the July interview.  That is a bit inadequate! Certainly, Fr. Lombardi is in a very delicate situation.  He ceaselessly has to correct, reframe, nuance....  He must constantly explain with infinitesimal subtleties.... Lombardi here, Lombardi there....  But what we need is not a Figaro, but rather a rigorous, vigorous Roman Observer (= Osservatore Romano).  No doubt that is too much to ask nowadays!

Father Alain Lorans