Last month we reported how European bishops were preparing themselves for the media-perception battle following this October’s Synod on the Family. They are doing so by making sure that the annual meeting of general secretaries of bishops’ conferences starting next week overlaps with that of spokespersons. A draft version of the programme shows, however, the other communications concerns needing to be resolved by hierarchies. One of these is how to adapt to the digital age of Facebook and Twitter that “implies an attitude of dialogue” and “the use of feedback”. Also up for discussion is the question of transparency in the Church in the area of finance and management. In what is perhaps a sign of how things have changed under Pope Francis’ shakeup