Vatican defends Pope’s publisher

The Vatican on Wednesday defended the choice of Doubleday to publish Pope Benedict XVI’s new book in North America, responding to an Italian newspaper’s barb that the company is part of the publishing giant holding the rights to “The Da Vinci Code,” which was assailed by the church.

Benedict, a theologian and prolific author as Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, is coming out with his first book as pontiff this spring, “Jesus of Nazareth.”

In its statement, the Vatican Publishing House noted that Doubleday has previously published works by Popes John XXIII and John Paul II as well as “The Catechism of the Catholic Church.” It did not mention Brown’s book but made clear it approved of the choice of Doubleday.

Benedict has said the new book is a purely personal work about Jesus Christ that is meant for general Catholic readers.