VATICAN - The Pope to journalists: choose consciously and courageously the path of communication in favour of peace

Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - "You are at the forefront of reporting on conflicts and aspirations for peace, on situations of injustice and poverty, and on the silent work of so many people striving to create a better world. For this reason, I ask you to choose consciously and courageously the path of communication in favour of peace". With these words, Pope Leo XIV addressed the representatives of the media from around the world gathered in Rome for the Conclave.

A few days after his election, the new Pontiff granted his first public audience to journalists, as is tradition. More than 3,000 photographers, editors, and television crews filled the Paul VI Hall. Greeted with prolonged applause, the Pope broke the ice with humor: "Thank you for this wonderful reception! They say when they clap at the beginning it does not matter much, if you are still awake at the end and you still want to applaud…thank you very much"!

After thanking the media for their work "in these days, which is truly a time of grace for the Church", Leo XIV called upon every journalist "to strive for a different kind of communication, one that does not seek consensus at all costs, does not use aggressive words, does not follow the culture of competition". He added: "we must reject the paradigm of war" "of words and images".

The Pope expressed the "Church’s solidarity with journalists who are imprisoned for seeking to report the truth and called for their release". At the same time, he invited communication professionals to contribute to helping society emerge from "the confusion of loveless languages that are often ideological or partisan. Therefore, your service, with the words you use and the style you adopt, is crucial. As you know, communication is not only the transmission of information, but it is also the creation of a culture, of human and digital environments that become spaces for dialogue and discussion".

Leo XIV also called for "responsibility and discernment" in the use of artificial intelligence, a task that, he stressed "concerns everyone in proportion to his or her age and role in society". In conclusion, he echoed the words of Pope Francis in his latest message for World Day of Social Communications which will be celebrated on June 1: "Let us disarm communication of all prejudice and resentment, fanaticism and even hatred; let us free it from aggression. Let us disarm words and we will help to disarm the world. Disarmed and disarming communication allows us to share a different view of the world and to act in a manner consistent with our human dignity". (F.B.) (Agenzia Fides, 12/5/2025)

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