Vatican City, Nov 9, 2018 / 10:18 am
Catholic journalists should be guided not by despair and negativity, but by a commitment to sharing the beauty of the human person, Pope Francis told a group of media students Friday.
How easy it is "to be carried away by common opinion, by defeatism and by a pessimism that paralyzes and blinds!" the pope said Nov. 9.
Christian journalists, on the other hand, are distinguished by "your positive attitude towards the person and your professional ethics," he continued. "You do not just do a job, but fulfill an assignment and a commitment."
"We ask for parresia," the pope said, referencing a Greek rhetorical term which means to speak boldly and candidly, adding: "We ask for the frankness that comes from the Holy Spirit and that helps us to trust in the truth of Christ that makes us free."