The pope met with journalists from the Italian Catholic Press Union to celebrate their 60th anniversary. There, he gave some advice to the reporters.
BE THE VOICE OF CONSCIENCE
POPE FRANCIS
“I urge you to be the voice of the conscience of a journalism capable of distinguishing good from evil, human choices from inhuman ones. Today there is a jumble that is not able to be distinguished. You must help in this.”
The pope told journalists to be aware of their roles throughout history.
MAKE MEMORIES
POPE FRANCIS
“A journalist – who is the chronicler of history – is called to reconstruct the memory of the facts, to work for social cohesion, to tell the truth at any cost.”
Pope Francis said that reporters must always be free in front of their audiences.
THE POWER OF WORDS
POPE FRANCIS
“Communication needs real words in the midst of so many empty words. In this, you have a great responsibility: your words tell the story of the world and shape it. Your stories can generate spaces of freedom or slavery, of responsibility or dependence on power.”
The pope recognized the current challenges journalists face in communicating the truth to different audiences.
POPE FRANCIS
“How often a journalist wishes to go along this road, but behind him or her there is an editor who says, 'No, we don’t publish this, this yes, this no,' and all this truth is distilled in terms of the financial convenience of the editor, and ends up communicating what is not true, what is not beautiful and what is not good.”
BE RESPONSIBLE
In the digital age, Pope Francis recalled that a journalist's work can help unmask false and destructive news.
POPE FRANCIS
“In the age of the web, the task of the journalist is to identify credible sources, and to contextualize, interpret and prioritize them. I often give this example: a person freezes to death in the street, and does not make the news; whereas if the Stock Exchange falls by two points, all the agencies talk about it. Something isn't working.”
The pope called on reporters to not fear challenging powers and encouraged them to tell the truth, give a voice to minorities, tell the “good news” and build communities of thought.
Daniel Díaz Vizzi
Translated: Rachel Dobrzynski
