Greg Burke, an American-born veteran newsman has been named the new director of the Holy See Press Office, along with vice-director Paloma Garcia Ovejero, replacing the retiring Father Federico Lombardi.

Vatican Radio is reporting on the announcement, which was made yesterday, that an American layman has been appointed to replace Father Lombardi in one of the most high-profile positions at the Vatican. Burke, 56, who has been serving as senior communications advisor to the Vatican Secretary of State since 2012, is a member of Opus Dei who served as a correspondent for Fox News and Time Magazine.

At his side will be another new appointment, that of Spanish journalist, Paloma Garcia Ovejero as Press Office Vice-Director.

“Obviously Italian is the language of the Curia, it’s the working language and that’s important, but in terms of reaching the Catholic audience – about half of the Catholic world is Spanish-speaking – and if you want to reach the globe: English is key” Burke said about the new appointments.

Citing the appointment of “two laypeople, two foreigners if you will; but foreigners who know their way around here. The fact that Paloma also comes from the working press corps – up until yesterday she was still doing radio reports – is a really good sign.”

He admits that the task of filling Father Lombardi’s shoes will be daunting, and even “a bit scary,” but he has worked with Lombardi for more than three years and even more closely in the last six months.

“I can’t say enough good things about his virtues: patience, total dedication, generosity and kindness and just an absolute fidelity to the Pope and I think that’s a great lesson for me,” he says.

Burke and Ovejero take over the job on August 1.

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