Pope Leo XIV has used an audience with international media to urge them to be peacemakers and shun anger or prejudice in their reporting.
The audience in the Paul VI Audience Hall was reserved for those members of the media who covered his election and the death of Pope Francis.
He said to the media their words and style were “crucial” and helped to create a culture and “human and digital environments that become spaces for dialogue and discussion.”
“We do not need loud, forceful communication, but rather communication that is capable of listening and of gathering the voices of the weak who have no voice,” he said.
“Let us disarm words and we will help to disarm the world. Disarmed and disarming communication allows us to share a different view of the world and to act in a manner consistent with our human dignity.”
He also used the audience to call for the release of imprisoned journalists across the globe.
“The suffering of these imprisoned journalists challenges the conscience of nations and the international community, calling on all of us to safeguard the precious gift of free speech and of the press,” the Pope said.
He also thanked them for their hard work in the past few weeks following the death of Pope Francis and his own election just a few days ago.
“Thank you for the work you have done and continue to do in these days, which is truly a time of grace for the Church,” he said.