Scalfari Confesses: Pope’s Words in Interview May Not Have Been His Own

[goldent]

Editor Eugenio Scalfari has conceded it is “really possible” that some of the Pope's words he reported in the interview published in La Repubblica Oct. 1 “were not shared by the Pope himself.”

Last month's interview led to several criticisms of Pope Francis, notably Scalfari quoting the Pope saying of conscience that “everyone has his own idea of good and evil and must choose to follow the good and fight evil as he conceives them. That would be enough to make the world a better place.”

...

In a meeting with the journalists of the Foreign Press Association of Rome, Scalfari maintained that all his interviews have been conducted without a recording device, nor taking notes while the person is speaking. “I try to understand the person I am interviewing, and after that, I write his answers with my own words,” Scalfari explained. He conceded that it is therefore possible that “some of the Pope’s words I reported were not shared by Pope Francis.”


Read more: http://www.ncregister.com/daily-news/scalfari-confesses-popes-words-in-interview-may-not-have-been-his-own/#ixzz2lUGhxENM

[No Vested Interest]

1. Which of us would want someone else to put their words

in our mouths? Even more so with the Pope, to whom so many look for spiritual guidance.
A recording device should be used. - Why isn't he using one?
At the very least, when he "writes answers in his own words", it should be submitted to the person he is representing he is speaking for.
Scalfari has lost all credibility.
He may as well start writing fiction now.

[mzteris]

2. sounds like

he's trying to cover for the church - probably under pressure from those who want to keep it "pure". . .

[No Vested Interest]

3. Sorry, I don't get your point.

But, then, I'm one who takes things at face value and doesn't look for conspiracy.
I'm not being snarky or intending to rebut- just being straightforward.

[mzteris]

4. Admittedly I'm suspicious by nature

especially where any "institution" is concerned. And churches - especially the colossal millennium-spanding control-freak establishment that is the "C"atholic church very much want to retain their "branding".

I fear for the life of this new Pope. He is not what he was expected to be. He mouthed the party line as a rank-and-filer. Now that he's in charge, he gets to (try and) set new policy.

There is a huge contingent of fundamentalist Catholics and fundamentalists in general (not to mention non-religious bigots) who do NOT LIKE what he's been saying.

So, in an effort to de-fuse the message, they are taking words out of his mouth, so-to-speak, by having the author recant via the - uh, I kinda mis-paraphrased - gambit.

Either the Pope will stick to his guns and reiterate, or he will recognize the handwriting on the wall and get back in line. Or face the consequences.

Or maybe the journalist is just crappy.

[No Vested Interest]

5. There may be reason for concern for Pope Francis' life,

but it is out of my/our control, so I don't worry about it.
He's no dummy, and he has chosen this path because this is the life and manner he believes is correct.
We all know that life is not always fair, just and beautiful.
I want him to be safe and to live a long life, but that is not promised to any one of us.

By the same token, I sometimes fear for the life of our President, given the power of some and the hate and craziness of others. I'm sure at some level he and his family are aware of dangers. Still he and his family have chosen this path, and hope and want President Obama to succeed and live a long life, but, as we have been reminded the last few days re JFK, there are no sure bets.

[IrishAyes]

8. I'm sure we all share your concerns about the safety of these two most important figures.

President Obama early on asked for a prayer cover, and we certainly owe the Pope no less.

[goldent]

6. it should be submitted to the person he is representing ...

From the article...

Scalfari said that, at the end of the 80-minute conversation, he asked Pope Francis permission to report the conversation. The Pope agreed, and Scalfari offered to send him the text before its publication.

According to Scalfari, the Pope told him not to “waste time” in sending him the text, saying, “I trust you.”

Scalfari said he nevertheless sent his text of the conversation to the Vatican on Sept. 29, together with an accompanying letter.

It gets more complicated. The Vatican was OK with the article and put it up on the website, but later took it down, as it was claimed that the Pope referring to the Curia as a "leprosy" was taken out of context.

[No Vested Interest]

7. It sounds sloppy all around. nt