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AbstractIn 2020, a Latin American university with a Catholic ethos suffered a crisis when the content of an online class on bioethics regarding homosexuality was posted on Twitter. This communications case study – in which names have been altered to protect confidentiality – describes the objective and subjective circumstances of the case, how the problem evolved, how different stakeholders reacted, and what the University did in order to cope with the crisis. It also narrates what the University did in the post-crisis period to prevent something similar from happening again. The study concludes with a brief analysis of the main takeaways that this case could offer to University authorities and, in general, to managers and communicators in Church-related institutions.

AbstractPoland is one of the most Catholic countries in the world. 33 million out of its 38 million people (92.9% of its population) declare themselves to be Roman Catholic. Church initiatives for the needy, whether poor or immigrants, are everywhere. The Church is a robust and influential institution, strengthened by the pontificate of the Polish Pope, John Paul II, who is considered not only a saint but also a national hero. In many aspects, Poles could be put as an example for Catholics in other countries. But there is an issue in which the Church is not at the vanguard: the fight against sexual abuse. Recent cases have eroded the solid trust Polish people put in their Church. More recently, the documentary Tell No One, released in two parts in May 2019 and May 2020, was a turning point, and the confidence in the institution visibly plummeted. This case study tells the recent story of the issue of sexual abuse by Catholic clergy in Poland, its lights and its shadows. The paper ends with some suggestions for a trust recovery strategy, as recommendations for both Church authorities and their communication offices.

AbstractOne of the most frequent topics in Pope Francis’ public interventions, either orally or in writing, regards refugees and migrants. His teachings speak about a humble Church on a mission to assist the poor and those on the peripheries, and refugees and migrants occupy the center: they are the core and trademark of Francis’ pontificate. This reality, however, is not a mere coincidence neither is it caused by improvisation. Since his trip to Lampedusa in 2013—the first of his pontificate—Francis has shown he has a strategy for the refugee and migrant issue. He is consistent and has a well-prepared message. He wants the Catholic Church to be a key player in the international arena, through the Vatican Dicastery for Integral Human Development (created by Pope Francis himself) to raise awareness of this issue and to persuade countries, supranational institutions, and public opinion in general, to contribute to finding and providing solutions. This article aims to describe the communication strategy of Pope Francis on migrants and refugees; to show how his efforts are reframing this issue; and, finally, to illustrate with examples how those working closely with the Pope are implementing it.