The 69-year-old Augustinian missionary, elected in a 24-hour conclave last week, called for journalists to use words for peace, to reject war and to give voice to the voiceless.

Pope Leo XIV on Monday called for the release of imprisoned journalists and affirmed the “precious gift of free speech and the press” in an audience with some of the 6,000 journalists who descended on Rome to cover his election as the first American pontiff.

  • dogsoahC@lemm.eeEnglish
    12·
    19 hours ago

    I know he’s the pope and has to talk like that, but free speech is not a “precious gift”. It’s a hard-won right and “calling for it” is not gonna protect it. I swear to Nonexisto, if this clown gets the credit after the people win the fight, I’m gonna get an aneurism.

    • Verdorrterpunkt@feddit.orgEnglish
      13·
      19 hours ago

      Well, i suppose if the free speech in a region has been there for a while, it’s a gift from the people who fought hard for it.

      • dogsoahC@lemm.eeEnglish
        7·
        19 hours ago

        Fair enough. But I’d rather think of it as a torch that has been passed on and has to be guarded and kept ablaze. Lighting it was the hardest part, but the job’s not done.