Here’s the point about press coverage. Perhaps you could call it my manifesto on the subject.
American press coverage of the papacy has had a single overriding theme for twenty-five years: the dissonance between what the Pope represents and the way American Catholics actually live their lives.
There are numerous variations of this, but that’s the essence of it.
And there is, of course, truth to that. Much truth. It’s newsworthy, certainly.
(I would suggest, though that it’s not a truth limited to the issue of contraception. Most of us don’t live our lives in total faithful response to the radical call of the Gospel. “Most American Catholics,” if you look at the way we live, certainly seem to “disagree with” Jesus Christ when it comes to that whole two coats and lilies of the field business. But somehow that’s not newsworthy. )
But I’m going to suggest that there’s more to the story, and that an over-dependence on that meme, as well as, in the present context, the “God’s Rottweiler softens his image and preaches about Jesus and stuff” meme are tired, overused and not useful for exploring the complexities and realities of this papacy and the response to it.
It’s worth talking about those who disagree with Pope Benedict. But it’s also worth, in the reporting of those differences, pushing those who disagree to account for the specifics of their reasoning, in the context of an understanding of what the role of the papacy actually is vis-a-vis Catholic teaching.
And it’s also worth – and perhaps pretty interesting – talking to those who are inspired by Pope Benedict and are learning from him: laity, religious, priests and bishops alike. Seminarians. Book-buyers. Internet-discussion participants.
I’m not saying there’s not a gap in understanding. There is.  But what’s lacking is an informed, critical examination of that gap, as well as a look at the other side – who’s buying all those Pope Benedict books…and why? Who are these people who are shifting their thinking on liturgy because of what they’re reading and seeing from Pope Benedict? There are Protestants who have appreciated Pope Benedict’s theological work for decades. Who are they and what do they appreciate in him?
Throw the old template away. It’s worn out and obscures more than it clarifies. Clean out the Rolodex and replenish it with new names. Tell us something we don’t already know.
That is, I think what it’s called, isn’t it?
News?