Catholic World News writes of Pope Benedict’s governance style (subscriber only link) that we’ve come to know in his first eight months.For one thing, the usually tight rein on secrets is even tighter. While the usual leaks continue from the various offices of the Curia and congregations (like the recent Instruction on gays in seminary), his aides in the apostolic palace have shown a better penchant for keeping his confidences to themselves.
He’s also more prone to keep his own counsel. He holds fewer meetings than Pope John Paul and has been tight-lipped about his intentions, even to heads of congregations who submit their resignations at age 75 as required by canon law. He thanks them for the resignation letters, but doesn’t let them know what he will do with them.
The Pope has begun making the big moves
My first reaction is to say that Benedict is like Pius XII. But then I remember that communication has changed so drastically since the reign of Pius XII that I probably have no basis on which to make that comparison.