Jubilee of Communication: Disarming information, sharing hope
The jubilee of the world of communication opens with the celebration of the mass marking of the liturgical memory of Saint Francis de Sales, patron saint of journalists, at the Basilica of St. John Leterran.
By Tiziana Campisi
The opening of the jubilee highlighted two essential tools for every journalist: the heart and hope. These values resonated in the two inaugural moments of the celebration: the penitential liturgy, led by Father Giulio Albanese, director of the Office of Social Communications of the Vicariate of Rome, and the international Mass presided over by Cardinal Reina. The heart of the celebration was symbolized by a relic of St. Francis de Sales, which had been brought to Rome from the northern Italian city of Treviso, where it had been safeguarded since 1913.
Pope Francis’ message for the 59th World Communications Day, quoted extensively at the event, highlighted the call to share hope with gentleness – a virtue central to the Jubilee mission.
Disarming communication after the example of Christ
In his homily, Cardinal Reina said the jubilee is a time of mercy, where the focus is from attached sins to the transformative power of God’s forgiveness. He drew attention to Pope Francis’ invitation to be “communicators of hope” and to “disarm communication.”
Cardinal Reina reflected on the Gospel account of the woman captured in adultery as a model for this approach. Jesus, faced with a scandalous situation, chose a path of gentle communication, avoiding aggression and collaborating with the truth. Asking, “Who among you is without sin, cast the first stone,” he explained that Christ disarms pride and invited reflection.
“To disarm communication, we must first disarm our pride,” Cardinal Reina said. “Scripture reminds us that only God is judge.” He noted that Jesus did not define the woman by her error but recognized her inherent dignity, offering hope for renewal.
A horizon of hope
The cardinal concluded his homily by reflecting on Jesus’ words to the woman: “Go more.” These words, he said, encapsulate hope and underscore a transformative future. This act of mercy, he noted, was the woman’s personal jubilee.
“If we wish to celebrate our jubilee as the world of communication,” Cardinal Reina said, “we must adopt this paradigm, embracing a style of communication that recognizes the dignity of every human being and promotes caring for our home common.”
A call to conversion
The penitential liturgy which preceded the mass began with readings from Spes non-confusionBull of indiction from Pope Francis for the 2025 Jubilee. The liturgy invited participants to reflect on the hope that resides in all hearts and to embrace the path to conversion symbolized by passing through the Holy Door, which represents Christ himself.
Father Albanese encouraged communicators to view their profession as a mission field, where conversion cannot be separated from professional life. He warned against “mercenaries of other people’s words” and urged participants to ensure their communication reflected God’s love and charity.
Charity communication
Father Albanian concluded by questioning communicators to consider whether their work expresses God’s beneficence or is motivated by worldly motives. Echoing Pope Francis, he called for communication that promotes hope and contributes to the construction of a more fraternal world.
(TagStotranslate) Jubilee (T) Media (T) # Jubilee2025 (T) Mass (T) Rome
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