Of the many public events taking place in Rome throughout this Holy Year, I had the privilege of attending the first major weekend of the year: the Jubilee of the World of Communications.
The weekend — which began Jan. 24, the feast day of St. Francis de Sales, patron of journalists, and concluded Jan. 26, Sunday of the Word of God — featured many opportunities including Mass at two papal basilicas, a pilgrimage to the Holy Door at St. Peter’s Basilica and an audience with Pope Francis.
In concert with these events, I also participated in a three-day encounter with 135 young Catholic communicators from 70 countries from all over the world, hosted by the Vatican Dicastery for Communication. We explored the “intersection of faith and communication in the digital age” through reflection, keynote addresses, interactive workshops and more.
During one exercise, we were instructed to share a story with our partner, after which the partner would recount the story in the first person as if it was their own. A Timor-Leste woman recounted the story of a man from South Sudan. A Romanian man told the story of a South Korean woman. My partner, Marija from Latvia, and I teared up after exchanging each other’s stories. These encounters were so simple and yet profound, overcoming cultural differences and language barriers at times..
“It is a triumph to show interest in one another,” said keynote speaker and author Colum McCann. When we listen with great care, employing “gentleness and reverence,” (Pt 3:16) we take a small step toward knowing each other. Listening honors the dignity of others, sowing hope along the way.
The deeper the empathy, the greater the encounter.
Pope Francis, throughout his papacy, has affirmed the need to “go out from ourselves” to encounter others. I witnessed him living this out.
During the Saturday audience, a young woman sat in front of me, holding what I later learned was a traditional maté drink from Argentina, her homeland and the Holy Father’s. She reached out to offer him a drink, and it was beautiful to see the pontiff cherish the connection and thank her with the gift of his attention. Pope Francis was modeling what it looks like to go out from ourselves to another.
Encounters in real life also illuminate another reality: Cultivating truth, beauty, and goodness in a digital world calls for the same courage and intentionality. How can we speak truth in charity and with moral clarity, especially online, and tell of the hope in our hearts? Only by God’s grace is it attainable to choose the “we” of communion over the “me” of consumption.
As people of faith, we know and believe that our hope is found in Jesus Christ. Pope Francis reminds us in his message for the 59th World Day of Social Communications: “The hope of Christians has a face, the face of the risen Lord.” Amid what seems like endless tragedies and suffering, how easy it is to forget and lose sight of this profound truth. Only in communication with God is our hope restored, for there we behold the face of hope and encounter him again and again.
Inspired and in awe of the strength, perspective, and faith of my fellow communicators from all around the world, I find my own spirit renewed in hope. I take heart in being reminded of stories as the means for transforming black and white perceptions, adding color to our tapestry of shared mission of hope and renewal.
Just as sure as technology will change, and our modes for communicating along with it, we can rest assured in this: hope is eternal. Hope cannot disappoint (Rom 5:5), nor can it change because of the victory Christ won for us.
What a gift it is to get to share it with others.
Brodeur is diocesan director of content and marketing strategy.
