Even if classic journalism books have sought to define our profession, my favorite definition of journalism comes from a non-journalist.
The late Pope Francis, in awarding two Vatican journalists in November 2021, offered a definition of journalism that I have since required my students to read and imbibe.
“Journalism does not come about by choosing a profession, but by embarking on a mission, a little like a doctor, who studies and works so that the evil in the world may be healed,” Francis said in his 2021 speech.
He continued: “Your mission is to explain the world, to make it less obscure, to make those who live in it less afraid of it and look at others with greater awareness, and also with more confidence. It is not an easy mission.”
How did Francis get it right?
