no PR chops

By Diogenes ( articles ) | Jul 06, 2009

 The Washington Post reported on July 2 that the release of Pope Benedict's social encyclical had been delayed until the week of the G8 meeting in Italy. That's quite true. Yet you can't help but wonder whether the Post really understands what's going on, because:

• The Post finds it significant that the Pope signed the document on one date (June 29), but the encyclical wasn't released until later. Actually it's customary for the Pontiff to sign such documents on a significant date-- in this case, the feast of Sts. Peter and Paul-- regardless of the actual release date. So now the reader is suspicious: if they don't understand Vatican traditions, can the Post reporters really understand Vatican intent? 
• The Post suggests that the delay can be attributed to the influence of "some PR chops somewhere in the Vatican." Now that suspicion becomes a certainty. If the Post thinks that someone in the Vatican is thinking intelligently about public-relations questions, then the Post definitely doesn't understand the Vatican.