The Pope and Condoms.2

A) I love this NYTimes headline: "Pope's Comments on Condoms Sow Confusion," because it seems to me that it is, rather, the NYTimes (and I'm sure others') descriptions of the pope's comments that actually sow the confusion. And then the NYTimes reports on the confusion it has sown! So meta...

B) From another NYTimes article:

"Father Lombardi [the Vatican spokesman] said he had asked the pope if he had recognized the risk in publishing a book of interviews in a complex media landscape, where his words might be 'misunderstood.'

In response, 'the pope smiled,' Father Lombardi said."

This is delightful! One can't read into a smile too much, I suppose. But it seems to me to be a wise response: this isn't the first time that he's been misunderstood, nor will it be the last. A sense of humor and confidence in his position seem like the way to go.