Catholic Twitterers around the world have become increasingly curious about the author of the Twitter account Vatican Just Googled.
The Catholic News Agency (CNA) says they have found him and he lives in New Zealand.
CNA’s Joe Slama tweeted: “After months of mystery, the author of the account agreed to step out of the shadows and reveal his identity.”
He is Samuel Harris, a stay-at-home father of three and a graduate student living in the Bay of Plenty.
In addition to @VaticanGoogles, he also tweets as himself under @SamHarrisStory.
After CNA traced @VaticanGoogles to Harris, he agreed to a chat and to allow his identity to be revealed.
He is studying creative writing and had been trying to think of a gimmick for a parody.
Inspired by another popular account, “Aus Gov Just Googled” (referring to the Australian government),
he initially tried to make a New Zealand version of the same.
He frames his posts as hypothetical and humorous Google searches from somewhere in Rome.
“The setup is already done, the joke work is done with the name of the account, so then in the body of the tweet you’re cutting straight to the punch line.”
He told CNA he’s “having a laugh, and if other people like it, that’s great.”
Harris carefully describes his angle as “gently affectionate satire.”
“I wanted it to have a bit of bite” when he was developing the account’s approach, he said, particularly in light of the scandals.
He made clear that he loves the Church, adding that “what you love most is also what you criticise,” he said.
And along the way, “I hope that there’s a few well-aimed punches that land.”
“The lofty aim of satire is a corrective cultural form.”
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