Pope's communications day message to focus on violent discourse

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Francis' message for World Communications Day 2025 will look at how to "disarm" aggressive communication and share the hope of Christ with gentleness.

The theme the pope has chosen for the 2025 commemoration is "Share with gentleness the hope that is in your hearts," the Vatican Dicastery for Communication announced Sept. 24.
Traditionally the pope's message for the day is released Jan. 24, the feast of St. Francis de Sales, patron saint of journalists. Most dioceses will celebrate the world day June 1, the Sunday before Pentecost.

The dicastery said that "the theme of the upcoming World Communications Day draws attention to the fact that today too often communication is violent, aimed at striking and not at establishing the conditions for dialogue."

"It is therefore necessary to disarm communication, to cleanse it of aggression. From television talk shows to verbal wars on social networks, there is a risk that the prevailing paradigm is that of competition, opposition and the will to dominate," the dicastery said in a press release announcing the theme.

For Christians, the dicastery said, "hope is a person and He is Christ."

"When we speak of Christian hope, we cannot disregard a community that lives the message of Jesus in such a credible way as to give a glimpse of the hope that it brings and is capable of communicating the hope of Christ with deeds and words even today," it said.