VATICAN – In the wake of a grand jury report on clergy sexual abuse in six dioceses in Pennsylvania, a Vatican spokesman called the abuses described in the report as being "criminal and morally reprehensible."

Next to the Pope, the Vatican’s most quoted person is probably the papal spokesman. In an often thankless job, the spokesman makes official announcements, corrects misinformation, fields reporters’ queries and, generally, is the public face of a Church that is frequently misunderstood.

The advent of a new, professional, lay-led press office at the Vatican won’t sideline Canada’s Fr. Thomas Rosica, who has acted as a volunteer English-language attaché to the Holy See press office since Pope Benedict resigned.