It’s not often discussed, but one of the most significant reforms of the Francis pontificate has been the creation of a very different relationship between the papacy and the media.

This Pope has given more interviews to journalists and biographers than any other. He has engaged with the press, the broadcast media and new social media platforms in a relatively open, proactive way, in contrast to the caution and wariness of his predecessors. Francis defends and trusts good journalism. He told reporters last year that freedom of the press was an important indicator of a country’s health.

During John Paul II’s pontificate, with Joaquín Navarro-Valls as his able spokesman, the emphasis was on careful management of the message. Now, with its own new media channels, Francis is keen for the Holy See to get on to the front foot. To professionalise the Holy See’s content the Pope recruited Paolo Ruffini, a former television executive at Italian public broadcaster, Rai, to lead the Vatican’s dicastery for communication and appointed another trusted aide, Andrea Tornielli, Vatican reporter for La Stampa, as editorial director of Vatican Media.