re: #273 MJ

I certainly wouldn’t deny that some in the media are using this as a club to to beat Ratzinger. But Ratzinger gave them the club which to beat him with his total indifference to world opinion, to the opinion of many, if not most Catholics, and especially the opinion of Jews. The longer this keeps up, the less moral authority the Vatican retains.

The Pope’s concern is not “media perception” or public relations.

It is, as you say, the moral authority of the Vatican and the Church.

And today, with communication around the world able to happen the minute somebody hits “post this”, public relations is a part of what is needed to retain moral authority. He needs to start being concerned about perception.