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Pope Francis on Friday denounced fake news related to COVID-19 and vaccines, criticizing what he called a distortion of reality based on fear. He also called on those who believe such lies to be helped to understand the true scientific facts.
Pope Francis met with Catholic journalists who have set up a fact-finding network in a bid to combat disinformation about the pandemic. The Pope has often called for responsible journalism, in search of truth, and respect for individuals, and his meeting with the Catholic media consortium further conveyed this message.
“It is impossible not to notice that these days, along with the pandemic, a ‘infodem’ is spreading, a distortion of reality based on fear, which in our global society leads to an explosion of comments on falsified or fabricated news.” said Pope Francis.
He said that access to accurate information, based on scientific data, is a right enjoyed by everyone, which should be guaranteed especially for those who have less opportunity to understand between the mess of misinformation and comments disguised as facts. , which are available online.
At the same time, Pope Francis called for a compassionate and missionary approach to those who fall prey to such distortions, so that they can be helped to understand the truth, as he said.
“False news must be refuted, but every person must always be respected, because he often believes unconsciously,” he said. “Reality is always more complex than we think, and we must respect the doubts, concerns and questions that people raise, without ever underestimating them,” the pope added.
Some representatives of the Catholic Church, including some conservative bishops and cardinals in the United States, say research-based vaccines using cells obtained from aborted fetuses were immoral and refused to be vaccinated.
But the Vatican Doctrine Office has said it is morally acceptable for Catholics to receive vaccines against COVID-19, including those based on research that used cells obtained from aborted fetuses. Pope Francis and Benedict XVI have been fully immunized with Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines.
Pope Francis has been one of the most vocal religious leaders who has spoken out in favor of vaccines and adherence to measures to combat the pandemic. He has implied that people have a moral obligation to provide health care for themselves and others. The Vatican recently asked all staff members to be vaccinated or to provide evidence that they had passed COVID-19 as a condition of going to work./VOA
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