Yes, he do. The Vatican has released both a statement and a video message to the United States ahead of Benedict’s trip next week–the latter has been posted on YouTube. It’s not exactly great theater. One can see that English is not Benedict’s best language (though I can’t say my name in German) and that he’s not hamming it up, in the least. He is what he is. But before anyone jumps to invidious comparisons with JPII, I recall that years ago when John Paul taped a similar static shot ahead of a trip to an English-speaking country that shall not be named, the bishops of that country found it so poorly done that they sent it back. John Paul was a theater guy, not a small screen type.