Rome, Italy, Oct 26, 2003 / 22:00 pm
Vatican Radio's Latin America Marketing Director, Father Javier San Martín, has called on the media to treat the Holy Father with greater respect and refrain from exalting his frailty.
Speaking to Mexican reporters, Fr. San Martín lamented the morbid focus on the Holy Father's health problems prevalent in many media outlets, focusing more in his gestures rather than his message in recent public appearances. He pointed as an example to the emphasis given to the Pope's reading difficulties, the effort it takes him to speak, or to speculations about papal succession.
"It's interesting that they don't even mention that the Pope's health is stable. It's always said to be increasingly worse, especially during the last year."
He added that with such a prognosis, "by now the Holy Father would no longer be with us."
Fr. San Martín denounced the fact that at least sign of movement or expression by the Holy Father, the cameras are on him showing the image of a Pope that, according to the press, is about to die."
Likewise, he said that out of respect for the Pope, journalists should act with professional ethics and objectivity, because although he is weak and old, "he should be seen as human in order to admire his strength."