Pope Francis has long addressed current issues head on — from climate change and immigration to Donald Trump’s physique and beauty vlogging. Up next? He’s taking on fake news — or nuntii fallaces if ya Latin.
Francis announced this via his favorite social-media platform, Twitter, on Friday:
He did, however, tease it out a little early: his document isn’t being released until January 24th, 2018, which is the feast of St. Francis de Sales, patron saint of journalists (and bloggers). The World Day of Social Communications isn’t until May 13th, 2018.
The issue of actual fake news first came to light during the 2016 election, then became a term adopted by Donald Trump to describe any press mildly critical of him.
According to Reuters, the Vatican released a statement elaborating on what Francis will be covering:
A Vatican statement said the issue was important enough for the pope to address because “fake news contributes to generating and nurturing a strong polarisation of opinions.”
A distortion of facts, it said, can have “repercussions at the level of individual and collective behaviour.”
Per Crux Now, he also wants to promote “professional journalism, which always seeks the truth, and therefore a journalism of peace that promotes understanding between people.”
Sounds like we have another few months before Trump reignites his feud with the Cool Pope.