We ask you, urgently: don’t scroll past this
Dear readers, Catholic Online was de-platformed by Shopify for our pro-life beliefs. They shut down our Catholic Online, Catholic Online School, Prayer Candles, and Catholic Online Learning Resources—essential faith tools serving over 1.4 million students and millions of families worldwide. Our founders, now in their 70's, just gave their entire life savings to protect this mission. But fewer than 2% of readers donate. If everyone gave just $5, the cost of a coffee, we could rebuild stronger and keep Catholic education free for all. Stand with us in faith. Thank you.Help Now >
Pope Francis names new director of Holy See press office
FREE Catholic Classes
Pope Francis Thursday appointed Matteo Bruni director of the Holy See Press Office, effective July 22. No vice director was named.
Highlights
Vatican City, (CNA) - Bruni replaces Alessandro Gisotti, who has been serving as director ad interim after the resignations of Greg Burke and Paloma Garcia Ovejero at the end of 2018.
Bruni, 43, an Italian born in Great Britain, has worked for the Holy See press office since 2009, including as chief press handler, and most recently, as the lead on organization of papal trips.
In 2016, he became coordinator of the Media Operations section; in which he handled the accreditation of journalists for events during the Jubilee Year of Mercy.
Though not a journalist, Bruni's background includes time working with the Sant'Egidio Community, a lay Catholic movement, for which he traveled around the world coordinating charity initiatives.
Bruni speaks fluent English and has an academic background in foreign languages. He also speaks Italian, Spanish, and French.
Gisotti, who has taken part in five papal trips during his six and a half months as interim director, has been given the role of vice editorial director of the Dicastery for Communication, serving under editorial director Andrea Tornielli (named to the position in early December 2018) and Paolo Ruffini, prefect of the Dicastery for Communication since July 2018.
Sergio Centofanti, a journalist for Vatican News, was also named a vice director of editorial direction for Vatican communications.
The editorial director and his new deputies will direct all of the content of the Vatican Media platform, coordinate the editorial line of Vatican communications, and oversee the integration of traditional media and digital media with attention to the universal dimension of the Holy See's communications.
Gisotti and Centofanti's appointment to the editorial office of Vatican Media strengthens that department and likely marks a shift toward putting Vatican Media at the center of Vatican communications, rather than the press office.
The appointment of a permanent director fills the Holy See press office roster (minus a vice director) and completes the restructuring announced in January, which created the positions of senior advisor, two assistants to the director, and office manager.
These positions, which will remain stable, are currently filled by Romilda Ferrauto as senior advisor; Sr. Bernadette Reis and Raul Cabrera Perez as assistants to the director; and Thaddeus M. Jones as office manager.
Gisotti said July 18 it had been a privilege to be the pope's spokesman "during such an intense period of his Pontificate" and that he is grateful for Francis' "fatherly support."
"I am sure that Matteo Bruni will know how to manage the extraordinary team here at the Press Office in the best way possible," he said. "I offer him my best wishes for success, as well as my availability to collaborate."
In an interview with Vatican News July 18 Bruni said the nomination is an honor, adding that his professional relationship with the media "has always been rather intense."
"Even though behind the scenes, I tried to make my work contribute to correct information, trying to convey some of the main themes of the pontificate," he said. "I am aware that now a different kind of commitment is beginning and I hope that mutual trust remains unchanged."
Reform of Vatican communications was launched in June 2015 with Pope Francis' creation of the Secretariat for Communications, which consolidated nine communications offices under one authority and prioritized an increase in the use of digital media.
In March 2018 Msgr. Dario Edoardo Vigano stepped down as the secretariat's first prefect, in the wake of a fake news scandal concerning a letter from Pope emeritus Benedict XVI. Vigano continues to work in the department as a consultor.
Three months later, in June 2018, the Secretariat was renamed to "dicastery," the general word used for the Vatican's various offices and departments, which was seen by some as a downgrade.
New appointments rounded out 2018, which ended with the surprise double resignation of Burke and Ovejero as the papal spokespersons.
CNA's Andrea Gagliarducci contributed to this report. The report was updated at 6 am MDT.
---
'Help Give every Student and Teacher FREE resources for a world-class Moral Catholic Education'
Copyright 2021 - Distributed by Catholic Online
Join the Movement
When you sign up below, you don't just join an email list - you're joining an entire movement for Free world class Catholic education.
-
Mysteries of the Rosary
-
St. Faustina Kowalska
-
Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary
-
Saint of the Day for Wednesday, Oct 4th, 2023
-
Popular Saints
-
St. Francis of Assisi
-
Bible
-
Female / Women Saints
-
7 Morning Prayers you need to get your day started with God
-
Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Daily Catholic
- Daily Readings for Monday, December 23, 2024
- St. John of Kanty: Saint of the Day for Monday, December 23, 2024
- Christmas Prayer: Prayer of the Day for Monday, December 23, 2024
- Daily Readings for Sunday, December 22, 2024
- St. Chaeromon: Saint of the Day for Sunday, December 22, 2024
- Advent Prayer #2: Prayer of the Day for Sunday, December 22, 2024
Copyright 2024 Catholic Online. All materials contained on this site, whether written, audible or visual are the exclusive property of Catholic Online and are protected under U.S. and International copyright laws, © Copyright 2024 Catholic Online. Any unauthorized use, without prior written consent of Catholic Online is strictly forbidden and prohibited.
Catholic Online is a Project of Your Catholic Voice Foundation, a Not-for-Profit Corporation. Your Catholic Voice Foundation has been granted a recognition of tax exemption under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Federal Tax Identification Number: 81-0596847. Your gift is tax-deductible as allowed by law.