NNA -nbsp;ldquo;The beauty of your work around Peter is that it is founded on the solid rock of responsibility in truth, not on the fragile sands of gossip and ideological interpretations.rdquo;
Pope Francis offered that reminder to 150-odd journalists accredited to the Vatican, frequently known by the insider term ldquo;Vaticanistirdquo;.
He met early Monday with members of the International Association of Journalists Accredited to the Vatican.
Gratitude for daily dedication to mission
In his remarks, the Pope jokingly apologized for making them get up so early and welcomed them to the Vatican, ldquo;even if you are at home here!rdquo;
Many members of the association frequently travel with the Pope on his Apostolic Journeys, and spend much of their waking lives covering his every move.
ldquo;I know your passion, your love for what you recount, and your trials,rdquo; he said, acknowledging that many of them wear several hats, providing coverage of Vatican news alongside news from Italy, Europe, the Mediterranean, and their home countries.
ldquo;I must apologize,rdquo; he said, ldquo;for the times when news concerning me in various ways has taken you away from your families, from playing with your children, and from spending time with your husbands or wives.rdquo;
Pope Francis noted that being a journalist is a vocation, something like that of a doctor, ldquo;who chooses to love humanity by caring for its illnesses.rdquo;
ldquo;In a way, this is what a journalist does, choosing to personally touch the wounds of society and the world,rdquo; he said. ldquo;It#39;s a calling that emerges from a young age and leads to understanding, shedding light on, and recounting.rdquo;
The Holy Father went on to express his gratitude to thenbsp;Vaticanistinbsp;for their journalistic work and for their ldquo;constancy and patiencerdquo; in building ldquo;bridges of knowledge and communication instead of divisions and diffidence.rdquo; — Vatican Newsnbsp;
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