THE VATICAN

Pope Leo XIV, the spiritual leader of Catholics worldwide and head of the Vatican, on Thursday commended the work of journalists who risk their lives to convey the truth to the public, saying: “If today we know what is happening in Gaza, Ukraine, and every other land bloodied by bombs, we largely owe it to them.”

The pope welcomed the heads and executives of the world’s leading news agencies at the Vatican, including Anadolu CEO Serdar Karagoz.

In his speech to the 39th Conference and Extraordinary General Assembly of the MINDS International News Agencies Union delegation, Leo emphasized that while communication is essential, it is just as crucial to consider who is communicating and for what purpose.

Stressing that the media sector should not separate its work from the sharing of truth, the pontiff said the media plays a vital role in helping to shape consciences and develop critical thinking.

‘We must not forget them!’

Highlighting the partnership of citizens and journalists in the service of conveying the truth, Leo said: "For this reason, what is truly productive is a partnership between citizens and journalists in the service of ethical and civic responsibility. One form of active citizenship is to value and support professionals and agencies that demonstrate seriousness and true freedom in their work. This creates a virtuous circle that benefits society as a whole.”

The pope highlighted the arduous work that reporters, often facing death, go through to carry out their duties.

“In times such as ours, marked by widespread and violent conflicts, many have died while carrying out their duties. They are victims of war and of the ideology of war, which seeks to prevent journalists from being there at all. We must not forget them!” he implored.

Pope Leo, shortly after his election this May, told a meeting with reporters from around the world that he called for the release of journalists who had been unjustly persecuted and imprisoned, and that he wished to reiterate this call today.

‘Competence, courage, and ethics’

Calling news agencies the frontlines, the pontiff said that they are “called upon to act in the current communications environment according to principles – unfortunately not always shared – that unite the economic sustainability of the company with the protection of the right to accurate and balanced information.”

Calling the work of news agencies “invaluable,” Leo highlighted their high-pressure work environment: “As you well know, those who work for a news agency are expected to write quickly, under pressure, even in very complex and dramatic situations. For these reasons, your service requires competence, courage, and a sense of ethics. This is invaluable and must be an antidote to the proliferation of ‘junk’ information.”

He emphasized that “doing the work of a journalist can never be considered a crime” but is instead a right to be protected.

“Free access to information is a pillar that upholds the edifice of our societies, and for this reason, we are called to defend and guarantee it,” he said.

MINDS delegation presents Pope with collage

The MINDS delegation gave the Pope a collage featuring the first news reports by member news agencies of MINDS International announcing the election of Pope Leo XIV on May 8, along with his photograph.

News agencies such as Anadolu, Reuters, the German Press Agency (DPA), The Associated Press (AP), Kyodo, AFP, ANSA, Belga, EFE, and The Canadian Press (CP) are among the members of MINDS International.