Written by Phil Lawler (CV – Articles – Email) | February 29, 2024
For nearly a decade, the most reliable English-language news coverage of Vatican affairs has been found at Wall Street JournalThanks to their man in Rome, Frank Rocca. Some readers have asked why CWN is often associated with news reports in magazineWhen other media covered the same events. The simple answer: magazine The stories were better: more informed, more balanced, more accurate.
You may ask: why? magazine, a newspaper devoted primarily to financial affairs, does it have a special correspondent covering the Vatican? Clearly, publishers asked themselves the same question, because watercress He just announced that his position there will be eliminated.
Read the comments in response to Rocca's announcement on Twitter, and you'll see that I'm not alone in my high opinion of his work. You'll also notice that his fans come from all over the spectrum. You'll see some praise from people I rarely agree with: a testament to his fair and balanced reporting.
We don't know yet what this change means for Rocca personally. What that means for Vatican news coverage is… nothing is good, unless there's another media outlet with the common sense and resources to snatch it up.
Phil Lawler has been a Catholic journalist for more than 30 years. He edited several Catholic journals and wrote eight books. Founder of Catholic World News, he is the news director and senior analyst at CatholicCulture.org. See full bio.
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