Well, yes -- Pope Francis did it.
And now, regrettably, it's continuing under Pope Leo who seems more and more to be not only Francis' protegé but Francis on steroids.
Please note that for thousands of years before these two, Popes spoke sparingly and when they did it was in the form of serious public pronouncements issued with the full weight of the papacy. And all this happened without "media availabilities" as they are known to PR practitioners and journalists.
But now we have this: speaking to reporters, Pope Leo responded to the criticism he has received from Donald Trump: “The mission of the Church is to proclaim the Gospel, to preach peace. If someone wants to criticize me for proclaiming the Gospel, let him do so truthfully."
Remember, the criticism started with the Pope who attacked Trump and the Trump administration with not so veiled references. So, Trump being Trump, answered the Pope's salvos with a few choice words of his own.
Best advice here comes from noted Catholic TV host and commentator Raymond Arroyo:
"The Pope should refrain from these weekly press scrums. It allows the media to set the tone and lead the witness. Most of Leo’s predecessors made the news- they didn’t react to it. In this scenario the Pope is cast as just another talking head- it diminishes his office. The media is wagging the dog and the Pope is playing along- being dragged into non-controversy controversies."
Put another way: Popes shouldn't get involved in pi - - ing contests.
To this we would add that, so far, this Pope has been too available, too evident, too much in the news, too fast. To maintain his moral authority, the Pope must remain above the fray, above the day-to-day controversies (and perhaps faux controversies) and stunts that seem to absorb the media.
Pray that this becomes the norm once again.
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