Pope proposes priest killed by terrorists as model for journalists

The Secretary of State of the Holy See stated that the Pope “appreciated” the theme chosen for these days of dialogue and reflection:

Faced with the emergence of artificial intelligence in the field of communication, Cardinal Parolin insists on the need to “return to the reasons of the heart.”

“This urgency finds an answer in the service of truth that Catholic media can offer to everyone, even those who do not believe,” he continued.

The message presents Father Jacques Hamel as a “source of inspiration” for Catholic journalists.

This French priest was murdered by Islamist terrorists while celebrating Mass in Saint-Étienne-du-Rouvray in 2016.

The Saint Francis de Sales Meeting is held every year in January in partnership with the Dicastery for Communication.

The three-day event brings together French-speaking journalists to reflect on the role of Catholic media in society. The Father Jacques Hamel International Prize is awarded on this occasion. It rewards journalistic work that has highlighted an initiative in favor of peace and interreligious dialogue.

Pope Francis referred to Fr. Hamel as a "martyr." A cause for his beatification opened in 2017.