Pope Leo urges media not to sow hatred

Pope Leo XIV meets with journalists in the Paul VI Hall at the Vatican. May 12, 2025. Photo: Vatican Media

On May 12, 2025, Pope Leo XIV met at the Vatican with journalists from around the world who had come to Rome to cover the events following the death of Pope Francis and leading up to the conclusion of the conclave. According to Vatican News, he called on members of the media to practice “peacemaking” communication, free of malice.

The newly elected Pope urged media professionals to strive for a different style of communication, "one that does not seek consensus at any cost, does not use aggressive words, does not follow the culture of competition, and never separates the search for truth from love."

"The way we communicate is of fundamental importance," he said. "We must say 'no' to the war of words and images; we must reject the paradigm of war."

The head of the Roman Catholic Church also addressed the need to overcome the “Tower of Babel” of hateful language and ideological messaging. True journalism, he said, cannot exist outside of history and time: communication is a responsible creation of culture and a space for dialogue.

The Pontiff also touched on the challenges posed by artificial intelligence, noting that AI's "immense potential" must be met with "responsibility and discernment to ensure its use for the good of all and to benefit all of humanity."

He called on journalists to disarm communication of all prejudice, resentment, fanaticism, envy, to free it from aggression – in accordance with the message of his predecessor, Pope Francis.

"Let us disarm words – and we will help to disarm the world," the head of the Catholic Church concluded.

As the UOJ previously reported, Shevchuk hopes that Pope Leo will not listen to the “slanderers” of the UGCC.

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