Pope Francis made his first visit to the Vatican News headquarters, which houses the Vatican's newspaper L'Osservatore Romano, Vatican Radio, the Vatican Television Center and the official website of the Holy See.
The Vatican communications department was created in 2015 to bring together all the Holy See's media outlets.
The Pope greeted those who work there and was even shown how the front page of L'Osservatore Romano is made.
He then visited the Vatican Radio chapel where he prayed for social communications.
POPE FRANCIS
'Teach us to go where no one wants to go, to take time to understand, to pay attention to what is essential, and not to let ourselves be distracted by the superfluous.'
The Pope then visited the Vatican Radio studios, where he went on air to greet listeners, and shared a message with the network's producers.
POPE FRANCIS
'I have only one concern—there are many reasons to worry about Vatican Radio, about L'Osservatore Romano—but there is one that is very close to my heart: how many people listen to the radio and how many read L'Osservatore Romano?'
The Holy See spends over 52 million dollars each year on its media projects, which employ some 500 people. The Pope asked them to use their resources to reach more people and spread the message of Jesus through their outreach.
POPE FRANCIS
'Because there is a danger for all organizations, the danger of being a nice organization, of doing good work, but not reaching where it needs to.'
The Pope's visit marked the 160th anniversary of L'Osservatore Romano and the 90th anniversary of Vatican Radio.
He thanked those present for their dedication to their work and greeted some of them as he left.
It was Pope Francis' second public appearance in Rome outside of the Vatican since the latest wave of coronavirus hit Italy.
JRB
TR: Justin McLellan
VM
