World Communications Day

In the age of instant communications and fake news, journalists — like everyone else — need to recover the practice of going out and verifying information before they share it, Pope Francis said.

The theme for the January 2021 celebration of World Communications Day is “Come and see: Communicating, encountering people as and where they are.”

Catholic media outlets also can provide “basic tools” to the faithful “to spot” false stories.

With fake news becoming ever more sophisticated, people need the wisdom, courage and patience to discern and embrace constructive stories, Pope Francis said.

Social media and social network communities aren’t inherently good or bad. It depends on how we use them.

Social media are anti-social, anti-human and anti-Christian when they are used to increase differences, fuel suspicion, spread lies and vent prejudice, Pope Francis said in his message for World Communications Day.

At a time when the media seem to feed a “vicious cycle of anxiety” and a “spiral of fear,” Christians should respond with honest stories that identify problems and evil, but also inspire real solutions, Pope Francis said.