Photo Credit: publicdomainpictures.net
January 24th is World Communications Day.
In his message for this 52nd World Communications Day, Pope Francis addresses the issue of "fake news" and reminds us that communications is at the service of TRUTH:
"... when we are faithful to God’s plan, communication becomes an effective expression of our responsible search for truth and our pursuit of goodness."
"The best antidotes to falsehoods are not strategies,
but people ... who are ready to listen, people who make the effort
to engage in sincere dialogue so that the truth can emerge;
people who are attracted by goodness
and take responsibility for how they use language."
Pope Francis ended his message with a Franciscan-inspired prayer for peace and truth:
Lord, make us instruments of your peace.
Help us to recognize the evil latent in a communication that does not build communion.
Help us to remove the venom from our judgements.
Help us to speak about others as our brothers and sisters.
You are faithful and trustworthy; may our words be seeds of goodness for the world:
where there is shouting, let us practise listening;
where there is confusion, let us inspire harmony;
where there is ambiguity, let us bring clarity;
where there is exclusion, let us offer solidarity;
where there is sensationalism, let us use sobriety;
where there is superficiality, let us raise real questions;
where there is prejudice, let us awaken trust;
where there is hostility, let us bring respect;
where there is falsehood, let us bring truth.
Amen.
Help us to recognize the evil latent in a communication that does not build communion.
Help us to remove the venom from our judgements.
Help us to speak about others as our brothers and sisters.
You are faithful and trustworthy; may our words be seeds of goodness for the world:
where there is shouting, let us practise listening;
where there is confusion, let us inspire harmony;
where there is ambiguity, let us bring clarity;
where there is exclusion, let us offer solidarity;
where there is sensationalism, let us use sobriety;
where there is superficiality, let us raise real questions;
where there is prejudice, let us awaken trust;
where there is hostility, let us bring respect;
where there is falsehood, let us bring truth.
Amen.
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