Getting the Vatican Up To Speed On Communications

Amy has a good post on this at Vatican 2.0

I am generally in the amen corner on this. However there are drawbacks. Sometimes it pays for the Vatican not to react to everything. In fact it is part of the culture.

We sort of see this mindset on a pretty funny press report of when Laura Bush visited the Vatican

Press arrangements for such a visit are the product of delicate and exhausting negotiations by the U.S. Embassy to the Holy See and the White House Advance staff. The Vatican, with a couple thousand years of history on its side, does not respond to urgency or pushiness. Speed, “necessity,” tension – all are anathema. It’s one of the few places the President or First Lady goes that the White House doesn’t basically get what it wants. Vatican officials don’t like e-mail – everything has to be faxed or hand-delivered, with many of the details spelled out in diplomatic notes, known locally as “dip notes.” The Vatican still moves at its ancient rhythm. But Pope John Paul II was well known for his attention to the news media, and a Vatican satellite truck was parked out back as Mrs. Bush’s motorcade arrived.

The press pool was in the charge of a nun, attired in blue, who could not conceive of ABC’s Ann Compton taking a laptop into the palace. The reporters had been told to bring their stuff with them because they would be running to catch the motorcade as Mrs. Bush departed. “Leave it to a colleague outside,” the nun said insistently. “You don’t need a computer.” “Finally, the nun did away with diplomacy and said, “There is no way.” An Associated Press reporter from Rome (whose uncanny hearing and generosity are responsible for some of the quotes above) asked about a tape recorder. “Absolutely no recorder in the library of the pope,” the nun replied, then clicked her tongue reprovingly, as if in a movie. Even the back halls of the Vatican have marble floors and art on the wall. The nun hurried reporters along one of the narrow corridors saying, “That’s the way.”

At one point, scolding your pooler for an unintentional and mysterious infraction, she said, “You understand English? Do you prefer me to use Latin? Spanish? Italian? No more ‘Yes, ma’am’! I will call a Swiss Guard and have you removed” She carried a black, portfolio-like bag. Apparently deciding the sin was not venial, she granted absolution by reaching in her bag and handing over a color map and a fact sheet, with a businesslike smile.