The painfully slow reform of the Vatican's communications operation

By Phil Lawler ( bio - articles - email ) | Apr 29, 2016

Almost exactly one year ago I wondered aloud whether a plan to streamline the Vatican's communications efforts might be sidetracked. Today I'm happy to notice that my concern may have been misplaced. The head of the new Communications Secretariat reports that the plans are moving forward. 

But they're moving oh-so slowly. Msgr. Vigano reports that the restructuring process should be complete in 2018. That will be four years after Pope Francis formed an expert panel to recommend changes in the Vatican's media operations, and three years after than committee submitted its recommendations. 

Msgr. Vigano says that the reforms have two goals: to consolidate operations and make them run more efficiently, and to respond to the new demands of this age of instant global communications. 

There's just one problem here: If you're really responding to the demands of effective communications in the 21st century, you don't take 3-4 years to do it.