Catholic World News

Vatican spokesman admits publicity gaffes, says Cardinal Castrillon Hoyos should have known about Holocaust denial February 06, 2009

In an interview with the French Catholic newspaper La Croix, Father Federico Lombardi, the director of the Vatican press office, conceded that the Holy See has not handled public relations effectively. Reflecting on the controversy surrounding the lifting of the excommunication of Bishop Richard Williamson, said, “I think we still have to create a communications culture inside the Curia, where each dicastery communicates by itself, not necessarily thinking of going through the press room or issuing an explanatory note when the issue is complex.”

The director of the Holy See Press Office took aim at Cardinal Dario Castrillon Hoyos and others who were involved in the decision to lift the SSPX bishops’ excommunications. “They didn't take the views of the other bishops enough into account,” he said. “One thing that's certain is that the pope didn't know [about Bishop Williamson’s denial of the Holocaust’s extent]. If someone should have known, it was Cardinal Castrillon Hoyos.”

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• Spokesman says Vatican can't control its message (Reuters)

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