The essential and direct style of the Pope in talks with journalists during the apostolic trips, the recent interview with Famiglia Cristiana Scola mark a turning point: the banning of '"ecclesialese."Clear answers, concrete arguments, no circumlocutions.
In the Sacred Palaces, a new interview “etiquette” has been modeled on the essential and direct style of Benedict XVI’s “question time” with journalists during apostolic travels.
The banning of “ecclesiastical-ese” is reflected in the new language adopted recently by the episcopate in its communication with the media.
This was demonstrated in the last interview given by Cardinal Angelo Scola to the weekly magazine “Famiglia Cristiana” (“Christian Family”).
The archbishop of Milan is one of the most authoritative prelate world-wide and, within the College of Cardinals, he represents the wing closest to the Pontiff.
Explicit tones, important content from a “creative conservative” perspective, issues presented in depth in a way comprehensible to all.
In short, a mix of theology and daily life as professed by Joseph Ratzinger.
In the formal evolution of the Scola-style we see the real embodiment of the new “media etiquette” adopted by the ecclesiastical hierarchy.
Already as chancellor of the Pontifica Lateranense University (a university by pontifical right based in Rome) and then as patriarch of Venice, the current archbishop of Milan was one of the most followed and prestigious voices of the universal Church.
At times his public addresses were so dense with meaning and depth that they were difficult for the masses to understand.
His recent open interview to “Famiglia Cristiana” marks a change and becomes a sort of “manifesto” that seems to definitively avoid the use of “ecclesiastical-ese” and of excessively technical, specialized and sectorial language. Some passages from the interview are enough to understand the style change.
“The idea of the fixed job is out-of-date; it belongs to the past.” We have to rethink “employment paths and social guarantees”.
This is a direct and immediate approach to tackle concrete issues like employment, the social crisis and family politics.
“Job insecurity is destructive and the lack of perspectives affects the desire of young people to create a family, pushing them towards more precarious and disengaged forms of cohabitation.” No circumlocution, but facing topics in the first person.
“The idea of the fixed job like it was meant by my or our parents’ generation does not exist anymore.”
Real recipes; no smoky enunciations. We must “reform the educational system seriously considering a plan for professional schools.”
That is “you can be a plumber or a chair-maker in a culturally advanced and creative way.”
Without skirting the problems.
“Instead of producing only low cost “graduates”, Italy must think of professional education paths connected to universities, like it is done in many other European countries.”
Thus the new direct “style” is spoken.