Hundreds of Catholic communicators gathered in Rome to pass through the Holy Door together, celebrating the Jubilee of the World of Communications.
Andrea Tornielli, Editorial Director for the Vatican Dicastery for Communication, sees this as a unique opportunity for Catholic communicators to spread the Good News more widely, while also strengthening the Vatican’s role in global communication. EWTN Vatican Bureau Chief Andreas Thonhauser sits down with Tornielli to discuss the ongoing Jubilee Year in the Catholic Church.
Andreas Thonhauser — EWTN Vatican Bureau Chief:
What does the Communication of the Jubilee look like?
Andrea Tornielli — Editorial Director for the Dicastery for Communication:
As you know the keyword of this Jubilee is hope. It is difficult to speak about hope in this time for our world. But it’s important to find stories of hope. So we are going on in presenting specifically as Vatican Media, as our contribution for the Jubilee in radio, website, the newspaper Observatory Romano, Vatican News, and with our television production, more and more stories of hope.
Andreas Thonhauser — EWTN Vatican Bureau Chief:
Any future projects that you’re working on right now?
Andrea Tornielli — Editorial Director for the Dicastery for Communication:
We are trying not to simply share the voice of the Pope and Magisterium of the Pope and the news, what is happening in the Vatican, that is our first task obviously. And at the moment 53 different languages, 53 different languages with journalists who are coming from 69 different countries, our system. But the second task for me is acting as a heart – spreading. But also receiving from the periphery, receiving from the communities – stories, news, testimonies – and to be able to re-share this publicly, to a larger public, translating this kind of news story.
In addition to his primary responsibilities, Andrea Tornielli is a renowned religious writer. His latest book, The Life of Jesus, has been translated into multiple languages—including English, French, Spanish, and Portuguese—reaching audiences around the world.
Andreas Thonhauser — EWTN Vatican Bureau Chief:
Could you tell us a little more about your book, “The Life of Jesus”?
Andrea Tornielli — Editorial Director for the Dicastery for Communication:
I was trying to be inside the scene of the Gospel. To try to see, to smell, to see also the weather, the gesture of Jesus. The reaction of people encountered with him. I was trying to be a reporter with my notebook in the scene and trying to explain what is happening. And the idea was to present the entire life of Jesus chronologically, using the four Gospels and the comments of the Pope and a little bit of my imagination.
Andreas Thonhauser — EWTN Vatican Bureau Chief:
How did the collaboration with Pope Francis inspire the book?
Andrea Tornielli — Editorial Director for the Dicastery for Communication:
I liked the homilies of Santa Marta. In those homilies, the Pope was speaking, not reading a prepared text, but he is making a few comments from his heart about the Gospel. I think they are so natural, so strong and because of also his view and his, the fact that he’s a Jesuit and the imagination of the scene of the Gospel is one of the teachings of Saint Ignatius.
Andreas Thonhauser — EWTN Vatican Bureau Chief:
How did this process of writing the book change your viewing of Jesus?
Andrea Tornielli — Editorial Director for the Dicastery for Communication:
First of all, I was shocked by the humanity in him. We are looking at a real human being. And in him it is possible to see the potential of our humanity. He is a perfect, the perfect human being – Jesus.
Andreas Thonhauser — EWTN Vatican Bureau Chief:
What are the reactions of your readers? It’s been out in Italian for a longer time, but now also in other languages.
Andrea Tornielli — Editorial Director for the Dicastery for Communication:
I received such interesting messages, also from non-believers. They thank, they said thank you because it is a help for understanding who Jesus was.
Andreas Thonhauser — EWTN Vatican Bureau Chief:
Thank you so much for your time and for being with us.
Andrea Tornielli — Editorial Director for the Dicastery for Communication:
Thank you.
Adapted by Jacob Stein and Anhelina Martsisheuskaya contributed to this program.
