Secretariat of State responsible for post-editing of papal comments?

So it seems. CNS blog explaining how what the pope said on the airplane ... well, changed, by the time his comments were published by the Vatican:

Even allowing for translation differences, the pope didn’t speak of a “risk.” He said what he said.

The Vatican made some other changes, too. For example, the pope said you couldn’t resolve the problem of AIDS only with money, explaining that assistance programs require a “soul” and spiritual help as well.

But in the official Vatican version, “money” was, strangely, replaced by the phrase “advertising slogans.”

Asked about the discrepancies, Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi said the tape is normally transcribed and then the text passes through the Secretariat of State for slight editing — to put it into good Italian if there are discontinuous expressions. But modifying the meaning of what the pope said is not supposed to be done, he said.

Father Lombardi said he would have to verify what happened in this case and correct it if necessary.

This, of course, is exactly what I predicted yesterday would happen.

So why does the Secretariat of State get to oversee simple transcription tasks instead of the Vatican Press Office? Evidently because they like exercising editorial control over what the Pope says ... which I don't necessarily have a problem with in theory, but how it's being practiced now just makes a complete mess of things.

Do the homework, please!