'Pressmen cheer Pope'

Archbishop Longley with Peter Jennings and the original 1962 paper - pic taken by Archbishop Nichols

“Pressmen Cheer The Pope” is the headline at the top of page 2 in The Universe and Catholic Times, of Friday, 19 October 1962, 50 years ago.

The caption to the picture reads: “A general view of the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican while Pope John addresses journalists.”

The news story in the copy of the paper from my archives begins: “About a thousand journalists representing the world’s press tucked their notebooks under their arms and loudly cheered the Pope on Saturday when he entered the Sistine Chapel to speak to them. They cheered him again when he left.

“The Pontiff spoke in French from a red and gold throne beneath Michelangelo’s giant fresco of the Last Judgement.

“A correspondent of the Russian news agency Tass was one of several journalists given a place of honour near the papal throne.

“The Holy Father urged the journalists the importance of avoiding the distortion of truth.

“This was especially necessary in reporting about a great religious event like the Council. ‘We ask all of you to try to understand and to make other understand the solemn sessions of the Council are particularly religious and spiritual,’ he said.

“Afterwards the Holy Father chatted with several journalists. He told one of them that every day he recited the rosary for journalists.”