'Only informed individuals can make free choices'
Editor's Note
Pope Leo XIV arrives on the main central loggia balcony of the St Peter's Basilica for the first time after being elected to take over from the late Pope Francis on Thursday, May 8. Pope Leo is the first pope from the United States.
Image: Alberto PIZZOLI / AFP
It’s been over a week since the emergence of the new pope after that highly anticipated voting in that historic chapel in Rome and the American-Peruvian has taken the late Pope Francis’s baton and is already running at speed with it and in the same trajectory.
There were some concerns last week when the billions of us who’d been watching closely the colour of the smoke coming out of the Sistine Chapel learned that the new pontiff was “an American”. But soon the “Make America Great Again” fears were allayed as Pope Leo XIV turned out to be a great choice, another “people’s pope” just like his predecessor.
Those of us who are for peace, democracy and justice in the world can all repeat with glee after the senior cardinal who made the announcement: Habemus papam – meaning “we have a pope”.
Indeed, we have a pope, a great and brave leader prepared to tackle the many and varied challenges facing this world.
I was especially impressed by his frank and bold interaction with members of the media on Monday, just days after his election. Pope Leo didn’t just come out boldly to pledge his support for media freedom and the much-needed protection of media practitioners around the world but seems intent on following his words with practical action. He seems well-informed.
The pontiff reminded us of the 567 media professionals currently imprisoned around the world “for seeking to report the truth” and appealed to everyone to help safeguard the “precious gift of free speech and of the press” where it still exists.
Of course, by “media professionals” the Holy Father was referring not to the purveyors of misinformation, disinformation, “fake news” and so on that is polluting “the media”.
This is not to say that there hasn’t been challenges between the media and the Holy See, but it’s good for its new leader to come out right from the start to make clear where he stands on the matter.
I can’t agree with him more in saying “only informed individuals can make free choices” – especially during general elections.