THE Pope spoke to the media on his plane, but it would be wrong to think this was a press conference. The Australian reports The Vatican exerts an iron control over media dealing with the Pope beyond any normal limits for a political leader in a democracy.Not long after departure from Rome's airport on Saturday, Benedict XVI, with an entourage of cardinals and his spokesman, Federico Lombardi, came to the rear of the chartered Alitalia plane to offer thoughts on his visit to Australia.
He knew what he would be asked. The procedure followed that adopted by the Vatican when the Pope visited the US in April.
The media had submitted questions in advance and these were vetted by Father Lombardi with five selected according to two criteria: relevance to the visit and of general rather than narrow interest.
To brand this event as well-scripted does no justice to the management applied by the Vatican. Kevin Rudd's spin doctors seem masters of cool by comparison.
There were three questions-and-answers in Italian and two in English. The Australian and SBS got the nod from the small Australian contingent out of 40 travelling media.
No official translation was offered on board at any time.
When The Australian asked the Pope the first question in English he began with a qualification about his language. Vatican watchers say the German-raised Pope is 80 per cent fluent in English. From this morning Australians will be able to make their own assessment.
Unlike political leaders limited entirely to the temporal world, who linger at the back of the plane for anything between five minutes and five hours, the Pope quickly returned to the front.
No private exchange, no chat, no personal touch.
The Pope is an intellectual and a renowned theologian.
Devoid of populist instincts, he is yet to project his personality to the world in the early style of John Paul II.
His intellectual arguments are legion, notably his view that the major world crisis today is the gulf between moral strength and technical progress.
It will be fascinating to see how Australians respond to this white-haired son of a policeman who tends to hold much of himself in reserve.
It would be fascinating to see him throw to spontaneity but if that happens it will probably come via gestures rather than words.
Benedict's previous speeches and dialogues around the world, released by the Vatican, reveal him to be a leader of great depth.
This Pope has a lot to say.
The question is whether Australia and World Youth Day are seen as the occasion for him to do this.
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