‘Let the Lord out,’ Pope tells bishops’ communications officials

January 28, 2025

» Continue to this story on Vatican Press Office

CWN Editor's Note: Following the Jubilee of the World of Communications, Pope Francis met with bishops who preside over episcopal communications commissions around the world, as well as national directors of episcopal communication offices. The Pontiff encouraged them to “let the Lord out” and to “recognize and pass on the stories of good that bad journalism tries to erase by only focusing on evil.”

“Evil exists,” the Pope said during the January 27 audience. “It must not be hidden, but it should stir us and lead us to produce questions and answers. This is why your task is so important: it demands that you step out of yourself, to dedicate yourself to a ‘symphonic’ work that involves everyone, that values old and young, women and men and takes into account every language, through the use of words, art, music, painting and images.”

The Pope then reflected on two words—“together” and “network”—and said that “before making us think about social networks, it ought to remind us of the fishermen’s nets and of Jesus’ invitation to Peter to become a fisher of men. Doing this means putting skills, knowledge and resources into a network capable of providing adequate information and thus escaping the sea of despair and disinformation.”

The Pope concluded:

Today the Lord often knocks from the inside because he wants us, as Christians, to let him out! Too often we keep the Lord to ourselves. We must let the Lord out – he is knocking at the door to be let out – and not keep him somewhat “enslaved” for own purposes. Do our offices, our relationships and our networks really resemble a missionary Church?

For all current news, visit our News home page.

There are no comments yet for this item.