I have long thought that the Vatican newspaper,  L’Osservatore Romano is a disaster and an embarrassment.  Every time they print something that is misleading about the Church, it is brought up by a participant in our RCIA.

What can I say? It is just a newspaper. The paper has absolutely no authority magisterial or otherwise. The Pope is not the editor in chief.

Unfortunately they seem desperate to be the very model of a major modern newspaper.

Over at the blog In light of the Law, cannon lawyer Ed Peters weights in:

“Worse, L’OR chose to highlight what is probably the single most speculative and controversial papal paragraph in over 200 pages of print, and to offer that snippet out of context and without explanation. Unbelievable.

Instantly, of course, the world formed exactly the wrong understanding of that paragraph that anyone could have predicted. Now, instead of being able to present the pope’s interview as a positive and even vigorous affirmation of unified truth, Catholic theologians and spokesmen must respond defensively against secular attacks and distortions, resorting (for the most part) to a level of sophistication that befits a graduate seminar in moral theology, not a reader-friendly presentation of ideas. I mean, great scot, the book is not even published yet, and already the Vatican Press is Office is having to issue hasty corrections and unconvincing clarifications!

And it’s all because of L’OR.

Again.”

Read the entire blog post, The continuing mess at L’Osservatore Romano.