Pope: Fr. Hamel, a light against blasphemous violence in God’s name

By Benedetta Capelli – Lourdes, France

"An elderly priest, kind, gentle, fraternal, and peaceful in the face of wild and blind violence unleashed supposedly in the name of God."

This is the portrait Pope Francis has painted of Father Jacques Hamel in a message addressed to the 27th edition of the International Days of Saint Francis de Sales, which began on Wednesday in Lourdes.

The Pope’s message was read at the presentation of an award dedicated to Fr. Hamel, read out by Archbishop Celestino Migliore, Apostolic Nuncio to France.

The Father Jacques Hamel Award was given this year to two journalists: Canadian Sarah-Christine Bourihane and Italian Romina Gobbo.

Rejection of violence

In his message, Pope Francis recalled the importance of spreading the slain French priest’s “irreplaceable testimony,” calling it "an antidote to the excesses of violence, intolerance, hatred, and rejection of others, which our societies are unfortunately increasingly witnessing."

The Pope highlighted the award’s significanced, almost 7 years after the violent murder of Fr. Hamel in his parish church of Saint-Étienne-du-Rouvray on July 26, 2016, at the hands of two Islamic extremists.

The award aims to promote peace and interreligious dialogue, and the Pope called it “a good means to encourage, support, and reward those who work towards building a more fraternal world, respecting everyone's convictions.”

For this, the journalistic profession is called to participate “in the formation and education of consciences, particularly those of the younger generations.”

Violence in God’s name is blasphemy

The Pope reflected on how misinformation poses a unique challenge of our times.

Misinformation, he said, seeks “to set people against one another, received with credulity by people who have lost the sense of critical discernment or who take advantage of their state of weakness and need.”

This is fertile ground for phenomena of radicalization “in particular in some religious groups that end up preaching violence in the name of God, which is blasphemy. For this reason,” added the Pope, “truth is an essential requirement of journalistic work at the service of interreligious dialogue.”

Truth and authenticity

The Pope urged journalists to follow the path of respect for the reader, while "announcing the truth about who we are, about what we believe in, and honestly seeking what others are and believe in, since this is the indispensable basis for living a fraternity in respect of differences."

Pope Francis called on communicators to always be “true and authentic in human relationships as in intellectual research.”

This attitude, he said, can deepen faith, help readers on their journey, and draw on the Gospel.

However, added the Pope, journalists must strive to make known the thoughts of others, without falling into stereotypes, while “also having the courage - often necessary - to denounce their errors and unacceptable deviations, especially when they violate human dignity and fraternity.”

Seeing with the heart

Pope Francis concluded by inviting communicators to use both their heads and their hearts by “offering a Christian reading of events that does not succumb to the culture of aggressiveness.”

Our goodness, he said, transfigures “the way of debating and comparing ideas, when it becomes culture in a society.”