LOURDES, France (with information from Isabella H. de Carvalho, Vatican News). — Pope Leo XIV has urged Catholic media professionals to become “amplifiers of voices that courageously seek reconciliation” and to reject the “war of words and images” that fuels global polarization, according to a message released Wednesday by the Holy See.
The pontiff’s appeal came in a letter signed by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Secretary of State, addressed to the French Catholic Media Federation (SIGNIS Member in France) ahead of its 29th annual Days of St. Francis de Sales conference, which runs through January 23 in Lourdes.
The Pope specifically called on journalists and communicators to prioritize stories of suffering and peacemaking in an era marked by both deepening divisions and the rapid emergence of artificial intelligence.
“I encourage you to be sowers of good words, amplifiers of voices that courageously seek reconciliation by disarming hearts of hatred and fanaticism,” the Pope wrote.
He challenged media professionals to serve as “antennae that pick up and relay what the weak, marginalized, lonely, and those who need to know the joy of feeling loved are experiencing” in an increasingly fragmented world.
The message comes as the Catholic Church grapples with the implications of artificial intelligence on communication and journalism.
“To face this era marked—including in the field of communication—by the emergence of artificial intelligence, it is urgent to return to the reasons of the heart, to the centrality of good relationships, and to the ability to draw closer to others, without excluding anyone,” Pope Leo wrote.
According to Vatican News, the pontiff positioned Catholic media’s “service of truth” as a counterweight to technological disruption, offering guidance “to everyone, even those who do not believe.”
The papal letter praised this year’s conference theme: “What responsibility do Catholic media have in a polarized world?”
Since the beginning of his pontificate, Pope Leo has consistently championed what he calls “disarmed and disarming communication that allows us to see without prejudice and with respect for the dignity of each person.”
“We need words that heal the wounds of life, words that build communities where enmity separates people and peoples,” the message states. “We must say ‘no to the war of words and images.'”
The Pope held up Father Jacques Hamel—a French priest killed during Mass by ISIS-affiliated terrorists in July 2016—as a model for Catholic communicators.
The Fédération des Médias Catholiques annually awards the Prix Père Jacques Hamel to journalists who promote peace and interreligious dialogue.
“Father Hamel was convinced that it is urgent to know how to show closeness to others, without exception,” Pope Leo wrote. “To get to know one another, we must meet without letting ourselves be frightened by our differences, ready to be challenged for who we are and for what we believe in.”
In his conclusion, as reported by Vatican News, the Pope urged conference participants to follow Father Hamel’s example by becoming “seekers of truth in the love that explains everything, artisans of a word that embraces, of a communication capable of bringing together what is broken, of a balm for the wounds of humanity.”
The Days of St. Francis de Sales brings together Catholic journalists from across the globe annually. St. Francis de Sales is recognized as the patron saint of the Catholic press and journalists.