English 
Français
Español
Communicating Hope from the Missionary Heart
Réflexion sur le message du pape François pour la 59e Journée mondiale des communications sociales
Each year, on the Sunday before Pentecost, the Church dedicates a day to reflect on the role of communicators in building a more human, just, and fraternal world.
In 2025, the 59th World Communications Day carries a deep spiritual and pastoral resonance: it coincides with the Jubilee Year and contains the final message of Pope Francis before his passing.
His message, titled “Share with gentleness the hope that is in your hearts” (cf. 1 Pet 3:15–16), stands as a testament of faith, hope, and charity for all who, like missionaries, use words, images, and witness to announce the Good News.
Communication that becomes mission
Pope Francis speaks into a world wounded by misinformation, divisive noise, and manipulative language. In response, he proposes disarmed, gentle, hope-filled communication. For those of us in the field of mission—whether in geographical, cultural, or existential peripheries—his words are not abstract theory; they are a pastoral imperative.
In mission, communication is not optional. It is part of our witness. Preaching is not enough; we must embody a way of communicating that reflects the face of the Risen Christ, that listens respectfully, that embraces the wounds of the people, and, above all, that inspires hope. We go beyond microphones and cameras: we communicate when we look into someone’s eyes with tenderness, when we listen without judgment, when we give a reason for the hope that sustains us—even in the darkest nights.
Gentleness as a style
The message emphasizes gentleness as an essential attitude. To many, this word may seem weak or naïve in a hypercompetitive world. But in the Gospel, gentleness is humble strength—it is resistance rooted in love, courage without violence. It is what allowed Jesus to walk alongside the disciples of Emmaus, not imposing truth, but rekindling hearts.
In the mission territories—whether zones of war, cultural distance, or digital noise—only gentle communication can reach the wounded soul of the world. Only it can build bridges where others build walls, community where others sow isolation.
Witnesses of hope in a Jubilee of mercy
Pope Francis reminds us that hope is not empty optimism but a transformative virtue. He invites us to discover it where all seems lost, like gold nuggets hidden in the sand. Missionaries know this well: hope lives in the smile of a child in the slums, in a mother’s prayer in the midst of war, in the resilience of migrants on uncertain journeys.
This Jubilee urges us to be pilgrims of hope, and in that pilgrimage, communication is not a side note but a tool for communion. Telling the stories of the forgotten, amplifying the quiet good, revealing what algorithms ignore—that too is part of our mission.
A call to action
From this missionary perspective, we make a concrete appeal to all communicators—journalists, media professionals, content creators, social media managers:
Be sowers of hope. Be artisans of communion. Be companions on the journey.
In a world tempted by scandal, superficiality, and polarization, we need communication that comes from the heart and speaks to the heart. Communication that does not fear truth, but speaks it with love. That embraces beauty, yet commits to the vulnerable. That goes beyond the surface and dares to go deep.
Pope Francis’ message is not a passing suggestion. It is a roadmap for all who want to live and proclaim the Gospel through communication. As he himself dreamed: a kind of communication that helps us feel less alone, rediscover the face of the other, and walk together toward a more fraternal humanity.
To read the full message of Pope Francis for the 59th World Day of Social Communications, we invite you to visit the Vatican’s official website:
MESSAGE OF HIS HOLINESS POPE FRANCIS FOR THE 59th WORLD DAY OF SOCIAL COMMUNICATIONS
