This morning, the Holy Father Francis received in audience the delegation from the Catholic News Service of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, on the occasion of the centenary of its institution.

The following is the Pope’s greeting to those present:

Address of the Holy Father

Dear Friends,

I am pleased to greet you who represent the many other journalists of Catholic News Service on the occasion of the centennial of its establishment.

Over these past hundred years, Catholic News Service has provided an invaluable contribution to the English-speaking world through its coverage of the Church’s mission of proclaiming the Gospel and witnessing to the love of God revealed in Jesus Christ. In an age when news can be easily manipulated and misinformation spread (cf. Message for the 2021 World Communications Day), you seek to make the truth known in a way that is, in the words of your motto, “fair, faithful and informed”. I thank you for your work and I encourage you to continue fostering dialogue and honest communication between individuals and communities. We need media that can help people, especially the young, to distinguish good from evil, to develop sound judgments based on a clear and unbiased presentation of the facts, and to appreciate the importance of working for justice, social concord and respect for our common home.

May the spirit of communion with the Bishop of Rome, which has always been a hallmark of Catholic News Service, continue to guide your efforts to serve the truth with humility and responsibility. I assure you of my prayers for you and your colleagues and I ask you, please, to remember to pray for me.