THE Vatican spokesman and his deputy have abruptly resigned in the midst of a shake-up of the Roman Catholic Church's communications operations by Pope Francis.
Greg Burke, Director of the Holy See Press Office, and Paloma García Ovejero, his Vice-Director, resigned together effective January 1 in a move accepted by the Pontiff on Monday, the Vatican said in a statement.
No reasons were given for the two key departures, but they come amid arguably the most troubled period of Francis' papacy in the face of the global sex abuse crisis involving Catholic clergymen.
In a tweet, American journalist Burke wrote that "at this time of transition in Vatican communications", both he and his Spanish deputy "think it's best the Holy Father is completely free to assemble a new team".
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.
— Greg Burke (@GregBurkeRome) December 31, 2018
Burke, a 59-year-old former Fox News correspondent and member of the conservative Catholic group Opus Dei, joined the Vatican as an advisor in 2012 and became spokesman in 2016.
"The experience has been fascinating, to say the least," he added. "Thank you, Pope Francis. Un abrazo muy fuerte."
García Ovejero, a 43-year-old former reporter for the Spanish radio network COPE, was one of the highest-ranking women at the Vatican and the first female to serve in her role.
The Pope named a member of the Vatican's communications office, Alessandro Gisotti, as the pair's interim replacement.
I joined the Vatican in 2012. The experience has been fascinating, to say the least. Thank you, Pope Francis. Un abrazo muy fuerte. pic.twitter.com/joxX4YoYSn
— Greg Burke (@GregBurkeRome) December 31, 2018
The surprise resignations were announced two weeks after Francis appointed a personal friend, Italian journalist Andrea Tornielli, to become editorial director of Vatican communications.
Tornielli, who previously ran the news website Vatican Insider and released a book-length interview with Pope Francis in 2016, is now in charge of co-ordinating the editorial line of all the Vatican's media outlets.
His appointment closely followed the retirement of Professor Giovanni Maria Vian, a fellow Italian journalist who served as Editor-in-Chief of the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano before reportedly being ousted by the Pontiff earlier this month.
The Holy Father's overhaul comes ahead of an unprecedented Vatican summit on the "protection of minors" in February 2019, to discuss how to react to the the child sexual abuse crisis sweeping the Roman Catholic Church.
The Church-wide meeting will be attended by the heads of some 110 national Catholic bishops' conferences and dozens of experts and leaders of religious orders around the world.
Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of the Director and Vice-director of the Holy See Press Office, Greg Burke and Paloma García Ovejero, and has appointed as interim director Alessandro Gisotti. Here is a translation of a statement from the Head of Vatican Communications. pic.twitter.com/hWuF7IJA8z
— Diane Montagna (@dianemontagna) December 31, 2018
