Advertisement Daughters of CharityICN Would you like to advertise on ICN? Click to learn more.

Director and Deputy Director of Vatican Press Office resign


Paloma Ovejero addresses Church Up Close seminar,  Sept 2018  image ICN/JS

Paloma Ovejero addresses Church Up Close seminar, Sept 2018 image ICN/JS

Source: Vatican Media/ICN

The Director of the Vatican Press Office Greg Burke, and his Deputy, Paloma Garcia Ovejero, announced that they have resigned today. A Vatican statement said Pope Francis accepted their resignation.

Burke tweeted: "Paloma and I have resigned, effective Jan. 1. At this time of transition in Vatican communications, we think it's best the Holy Father is completely free to assemble a new team." He then tweeted: "I joined the Vatican in 2012. The experience has been fascinating, to say the least. Thank you, Pope Francis. Un abrazo muy fuerte."

Paloma Garcia Ovejero tweeted a message in Spanish which reads in English: "A stage ends. Thank you, Holy Father, for these two and a half years! Thank you, Greg, for your trust, your patience and your example."

Greg Burke had previously worked in Rome for Fox News. He joined the Vatican as an advisor to the Secretariat of State in 2012, before being appointed to replace Fr Federico Lombardi SJ as director of the press office in 2016.

García was a reporter for the Spanish radio network Cadena COPE before her appointment as press office vice director at the same time.

Alessandro Gisotti has been appointed Director of the Press Office ad interim. Aged 44, Gisotti was born in Rome and is married with two children. Until now, he has been the Social Media Coordinator of the Dicastery for Communication.

A professional journalist, Gisotto graduated in political science from Rome's La Sapienza University in 1999. He became Deputy Editor-in-Chief at Vatican Radio, where he began working in 2000. He has reported on the activities of the last three Popes, both in Rome and on various international apostolic journeys.

He has taught journalism at the Jesuit Maximus Institute and the Pontifical Lateran University in Rome. He has also written several articles and essays on Church communications, including 'The Decalogue of the Good Communicator according to Pope Francis' published in 2016 with a preface by Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, Archbishop of Manila.

In a statement following the resignation of Greg Burke and Paloma García Ovejero, and the appointment of Alessandro Gisotti, the Prefect of the Dicastery of Communication, Dr Paolo Ruffini, said: "I have learned of the decision of Greg Burke and Paloma García Ovejero, and the acceptance by Pope Francis of their resignation. In these few months of working together, I have been able to appreciate their professionalism, humanity, and faith. I thank them therefore for the dedication with which they have carried out their work thus far.

"Today, faced with what is their independent and free choice, I can only respect the decision they have taken. Greg and Paloma (appointed to this task by my predecessor, Mgr Dario Edoardo Viganò) were the first Director and Deputy Director of the Press Office following the start of the reform of the Holy See's communication system, decided by the Holy Father.

"Their significant commitment has contributed to the path of reform that today, according to them, in order to be carried out, requires a rapid hand-over of testimony, in the spirit of service to the Church that we all share. It is precisely with this spirit of service and fidelity to the Holy Father that I myself will carry forward the complex path of this important reform. The year ahead is full of important events that require the greatest effort in communication.

"I have full confidence that Alessandro Gisotti, until now Social Media Coordinator of the Dicastery for Communication, and former Deputy Editor-in-Chief at Vatican Radio, will be able to guide the Press Office ad interim, waiting for its new structure to be defined as soon as possible."

Alessandro Gisotti said in a statement: "I thank the Holy Father for the trust placed in me at such a delicate time for the communications of the Holy See. I have placed myself at the complete disposal of the Prefect, Paolo Ruffini. A relationship of esteem and friendship binds me to Greg Burke and Paloma G Ovejero. I join the Prefect in thanking them for the work done over the last two and a half years in heading the Press Office. I will try to fulfill the task entrusted to me to the best of my ability, with that spirit of service to the Church and to the Pope that I had the privilege of learning by assisting Fr Federico Lombardi for almost 20 years. I know well that my task, however temporary, is particularly demanding, but I am comforted to know the great value of my colleagues in the Press Office whose professionalism and dedication I have been able to appreciate on many occasions."

A few days before Christmas, on 18 December, the Vatican Press Office announced that Pope Francis had appointed Italian journalist Andrea Tornielli as Editorial Director for the Dicastery of Communication and Andrea Monda as Editor-in-Chief for the 'Osservatore Romano'.

Tornielli, 54, has been working as the Vatican expert and columnist for the daily newspaper 'La Stampa' since 2011 and is coordinator of its \Vatican Insider' website, which is produced in three languages: Italian, English and Spanish. He also writes the 'Sacri Palazzi' blog, which provides in-depth information on the Vatican and has published many books and essays on the history of the Church.

A Holy See press statement said that while naming Andrea Monda as Editor-in Chief of the 'Osservatore Romano' the Pope has conferred the title of Director Emeritus upon Giovanni Maria Vian who has headed the publication for the past 11 years.

Adverts

Sisters of the Holy Cross

We offer publicity space for Catholic groups/organisations. See our advertising page if you would like more information.

We Need Your Support

ICN aims to provide speedy and accurate news coverage of all subjects of interest to Catholics and the wider Christian community. As our audience increases - so do our costs. We need your help to continue this work.

You can support our journalism by advertising with us or donating to ICN.

Mobile Menu Toggle Icon