“Communication means stepping outside ourselves a bit to give something of myself to another,” Pope Francis told hundreds of communications professionals on Jan. 25, speaking spontaneously after setting aside his prepared remarks at the Vatican’s Jubilee of the World of Communications.
“In my hands, I have a nine-page speech,” the pope said with a smile to participants gathered in the Vatican’s Paul VI Hall. He announced to an applauding audience that he would have this document distributed but only speak briefly, given the hour and the fact that everyone was hungry.
“To know how to communicate is a great wisdom, and I am happy that this jubilee of communicators is taking place. Your work is one that builds. It builds society and it builds the Church,” the pope said, provided journa-lists are truthful and “real” in their interior life.
The Jan. 25 encounter with communicators was one of several Saturday jubilee audiences of 2025, following a first meeting with pilgrims. The event began with a dialogue featuring Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Ressa and author Colum McCann, moderated by veteran Italian journalist Mario Calabresi.
The pope’s prepared message, later shared with participants, addressed several pressing concerns facing modern communications. The text called attention to journalists who died covering conflicts in the past year, noting that more than 120 media professionals lost their lives in 2024. The written remarks also warned against what the pope termed “brain rot” caused by constant social media scrolling, calling for greater media literacy and critical thinking, especially among young people. “We need courageous entrepreneurs, courageous information engineers, so that the beauty of communication is not corrupted,” the prepared text stated.