Pope Francis issued an apostolic letter published on Saturday, called a motu proprio (Latin for “on one’s own initiative”), that establishes a new Secretariat for Communications. The Motu Proprio placed all communications offices under the new Secretariat.
Those offices include the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, the Holy See Press Office, Vatican Internet Service, Vatican Radio, the Vatican Television Center (CTV), the Osservatore Romano, Vatican Typography, Photograph Service, and the Vatican Publishing House (Libreria Editrice Vaticana).
“The current communication context, characterized by the presence and the development of digital media, by the factors of convergence and interactivity, requires a rethinking of the information system of the Holy See and dedication to a reorganization which, recognizing the history of internal development of the asset of communications of the Apostolic See, must proceed decisively towards integration and a unified management,” the Holy Father stated.
The Pope went on to write that the new department, working alongside the Secretary of State, will assume the responsibility of maintaining the Holy See’s website (www.vatican.va) and the Pope’s Twitter account (@pontifex).
Following the publication of the Motu Proprio, the Holy Father also named Msgr. Dario Edoardo Viganò, director of the Vatican Television Center, as the prefect of the newly created Secretariat for Communications. He also named Msgr. Lucio Adrian Ruiz, head of the Vatican Internet Service, as Secretary; Paolo Nusiner, Director General of Avvenire Catholic newspaper as Director General of the Secretariat; and Giacomo Ghisani, head of the International Relations Office and Legal Affairs of Vatican Radio as its Vice Director General.
Pope Francis concluded the Motu Proprio stating that the Secretariat for Communications will officially begin its duties on Monday, June 29th and that it will be provisionally headquartered at Piazza Pia 3, the current headquarters of Vatican Radio.
