Pope Benedict XVI neglects to give his greetings in Spanish, among remarks in German, Italian, English, and French.
The majority of the world's Catholics live in Spanish-speaking North, Central, and South America. He speaks the language fluently. That's a rather significant oversight.
The above-linked article's explanations:
"Ratzinger may have been 'shy or insecure' about his Spanish abilities, or Vatican staffers in preparing for the event 'made a grave error' in excluding Spanish"
Quoth the Vatican press office:
"the Spanish-speaking world would understand the Italian"
Right. Of course. And it certainly wouldn't have anything to do with
Spain's
legalization of marriage between all sexes a few days ago, which he condemned strongly enough to order all Catholic
civil servants to quit their jobs rather than even participate in giving official recognition for the equal standing of gays, lesbians, and bisexuals before the law and their
rights as human beings.
That didn't come into it at all. Our kind, benevolent, God-graced new pope wouldn't be so petulant as to alienate some of his most devout followers just so he could tweak his nose at a secular government.
That just couldn't be the reason, could it?