Transparency in the Vatican: Giuseppe Gracia on the sick Pope

Transparency in the Vatican: Giuseppe Gracia on the sick Pope

The state of health of Pope Francis is the focus of attention, and this does not let the world public go. Communications consultant and former diocesan spokesman Giuseppe Gracia praises the Vatican's new transparency in dealing with the pope's health problems. “I think that the transparency of the church has increased significantly,” he emphasizes in an interview with Daily Gazette. Coverage of the pontiff's acute respiratory problems caused by a buildup of mucus shows how concerned society is with the spiritual leader's health, despite advancing secularization.

Challenges in communication

Gracia explains that communicating about illness is a balancing act because both intimate details must be preserved and transparency is required. “It’s not possible to lie,” he continues, emphasizing that the church today no longer distinguishes between the person and the office. This clear separation is necessary to preserve the office - “the office is not damaged by the fact that the office holder is mortal,” said Gracia. Despite the challenges that communication brings with it in times of fast news, the church's information policy has improved significantly in recent decades, according to the ex-speaker Kathpress explained.

Digital society, says Gracia, requires constant updates. In particular, interest in Pope Francis remains unbroken, even though people are distancing themselves more and more from Christianity. It is noteworthy that even secular media are reporting intensively on his health. Gracia summarizes that despite social alienation, the Catholic Church is receiving immense media attention and the desired transparency is increasingly becoming the norm.