Let us disarm media

The Catholic Church worldwide marks World Communications Day which coincides on the Sunday between Ascension Thursday and Pentecost Sunday. On this occasion, the Pope's annual message is to be read out on January 24, which highlights the most important points of this year's celebration.

What draws attention is that this very message, issued by the late Pope Francis early this year, is being marked during the era of Pope Leo XIV, who was elected a few weeks ago.

This year's message is titled, "Share with meekness the hope that is in your hearts." In this message, the late Pope says, "Let us disarm communication." This is truly remarkable as it prompts us to focus on "defusing" everything that might offend others simply because they are different. The message calls for the shunning hatred, rhetoric that escalates tensions, and the use of words that serve like a blade or the sharp knife designed to insult others and besmirch their sacred dignity.

As a sign of faithfulness to the late Pope, when Pope Leo XIV held his first public audience with media personnel--in the presence of more than 6,000 journalists who had their names registered to cover Vatican news since the illness and passing away of Pope Francis and the election of the new Pope--he addressed them with the same words as the late Pope: "Let us disarm the media." He added: "Let us disarm words, and we will help the world disarm men. Disarmed and disarming communication allows us to share a different view of the world and to act in accordance with our human dignity."

Disarming our words in media is a noble human goal, based on love that exudes every beautiful thing. This is a very beautiful policy for this jubilee year to uphold its motto "We are pilgrims of hope" so that media, and social media networking in particular may be used during this period to instill a spirit of optimism and hope, which is not merely a human hope for short-term successes, but rather a hope that offers a horizon based on sound faith in the one God Who guides humanity and steers it to the shores of peace.

As we celebrate the World Communications Day, let our motto this year be to disarm media outlets which serves as a danger that jeopardizes all peoples and all individuals who use these wonderful tools.  This will consequently attain our constant aspiration, namely to bring about technological progress on the one hand and moral progress on the other.

I conclude by quoting the late Pope Francis in this very message in which he aspired for a wonderful wish for media in our time and in the future, where he says. "I dream of a communication capable of making us fellow travelers, walking alongside our brothers and sisters and encouraging them to hope in these troubled times, a communication capable of speaking to the heart, arousing not passionate reactions of defensiveness and anger, but attitudes of openness and friendship, a communication capable of focusing on beauty and hope even in the midst of apparently desperate situations, and generating commitment, empathy and concern for others, a communication that can help us in recognizing the dignity of each human being, and in working together to care for our common home.”  I look forward to media that does not produce illusions or fears, but rather is capable of giving reasons for hope.