John Allen Gives Spirted Defense of L’Osservatore Romano in the Condom and Other Matters

I talked about this a few days ago at Catholcs Asking What Is Wrong At L’Osservatore Romano (Updated)

One of the best Vatican reporters around John Allen actually offers a good defense of the Vatican newspaper. See In defense of L’Osservatore Romano. He lays out the fact that what we got people steaming, the violation of the Embargo on the book in question, really is not their fault.

He mentions that perhaps some on the "right" are still steaming about the paper's perhaps too optimistic view of Obama in the early days. Something that even Archbishop Chaput felt he had to correct. However besides the envy question he raises I think for Americans the problem is what I stated earlier in the week:

Part of this is not their fault. The Vatican Newspaper is suppose to be good reading and like the Church itself there is a diversity of opinion in it.. Diversity of opinion that all fits in the Orthodox realm of Catholicism. However journalists that should know better constantly try to fit ALL it's reporting or all opinion pieces as the official viewpoint of the Vatican or WORSE the Pope himself.

See the relative trivial VATICAN SAYS SIMPSONS ARE CATHOLIC episode for just one example of when multiplied become annoying and time consuming to explain.

It would really be help at the next relgious news reporter conference John Allen could give a L’Osservatore Romano 101 to the journalist there on these matters.