Words of Wisdom from Pope Leo … Journalists are Essential to the Free World
The numbers speak volumes. The population of the United States is roughly 340 million. Russia’s population is about 176 million. And China’s population is 1.4 billion.
However, 1.4 billion is also the number of Catholics in the world. The leader of that church is more than just a religious leader. He is a spiritual leader who is respected by Catholics, but also countless Protestants, Jews and Muslims. He is a larger-than-life global leader.
I’m not sure how much weight my opinion on this carries … I am a religious hybrid … half Jewish, half Catholic and not particularly pious. But I miss Pope Francis. He embodied kindness and empathy. He was also a spiritual compass who advocated kindness, condemned war and preached forgiveness. He was not your everyday pontiff.
With Francis’ recent death, Catholic cardinals met in a conclave to choose a new pope. The conclave is a secretive meeting behind closed and locked doors. Participants are sworn to secrecy and smoke is released through a chimney to enable the thousands of people gathered in St. Peters Square to know if a new pope has been chosen.
The conclave isn’t political. In fact, and excuse me if this sounds crass, it is more like an episode of Survivor. Everyone’s anonymous vote for a pope is written on a piece of paper, is folded and placed into an urn. During the conclave, there are quiet conversations, alliances and deals cut.
In the end, the cardinals selected the first U.S.-born pope – Pope Leo XIV. And he is from Chicago and (it is surmised) a White Sox fan. He seems quiet, thoughtful and soft spoken. Most important, he appears to be a moderate voice of reason who advocates peace and acceptance.
But why should we care who is elected pope? He doesn’t rule a country. He is not a political leader. However, this is what makes him so powerful. He doesn’t answer to voters or despots. If you are a believer, you believe the pope’s boss is God.
I am writing this on May 12. This morning, Pope Leo met with 3,000 journalists who gathered at the Vatican. And he preached the need for a free press and emphasized why journalists are so important to the free world. Among his points:
· Free speech is important and a “precious gift.”
· Imprisoned journalists should be freed … he expressed solidarity with them.
· The church recognizes the courage of those who defend “dignity, justice and the right of people to be informed.”
· He highlighted the need for communication that is capable of listening and gathering the voices of the weak, who have no voice, and
· Pope Leo called for an end to the divisive “war of words” filled with prejudice and ideological attacks.
As I’ve written before, the world is so divided. Isn’t it refreshing to have someone who can operate above the fray and (if you believe it) get his guidance from God? Again, I don’t want to be disrespectful of anyone, but this is why the pope is so respected.
As communicators, public relations people and marketers, your responsibilities don’t end with supporting your company. You need to set a high standard and be living proof that the news and information that you spread to the public is truthful. We can never forget that truth – something that seems to be in increasingly short supply from those in power – is an essential element in a civilized society.
People debate the role of journalists and what constitutes real news. However, the free press is a “moral compass.” I’m fairly sure not too many people give credence to the Alex Jones’ of the world.
So, again, isn’t it comforting the new pope appears to be a force for peace and reason in today’s fractured world? I am certainly going to follow his lead.
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