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“Play a key role in offering hope”: Cardinal in Ivory Coast to Catholic Journalists at Jubilee of World of Communication

Justin Assalé

By Justin Assalé

Abidjan, 02 February, 2025 / 9:52 pm (ACI Africa).

Catholic journalists must embrace their vocation as a mission to give hope, seek and communicate the Truth, and be servants to humanity, Ignace Cardinal Bessi Dogbo of Ivory Coast’s Catholic Archdiocese of Abidjan has said.

In his homily during the Jubilee of the World of Communication in his Metropolitan See, Cardinal Dogbo encouraged Catholic journalists to actively participate in the evangelization mission, warning that the Gospel would remain a “dead letter” without their involvement.

“Without you, without your tongue and your pen, the Gospel of Jesus Christ will remain a dead letter,” the Ivorian Cardinal said during the February 1 Eucharistic celebration at St. Paul Cathedral of Abidjan Archdiocese.

He underscored the need for journalists and media practitioners to revive values of solidarity, justice, and humanity, especially in the light of the multiple crises Africa and the world face.

“Your responsibility is great. The words and images you share can transform, heal, or, conversely, divide and destroy. You play a vital role in offering hope and guiding society toward truth,” Cardinal Dogbo said.

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He further called upon Catholic journalists to prioritize truth and resist the temptation of sensationalism, misinformation, and corruption.

“In an Africa saturated with bad news, crises, and tensions, journalists have a duty to communicate messages of hope,” the Ivorian Catholic Church leader, who was created Cardinal during the 7 December 2024 Consistory said.

He continued, “The Holy Father reminds us that communication must not only inform but also uplift, inspire, and unify.”

Cardinal Dogbo emphasized the need for Catholic journalists to be “pilgrims of hope” in the spirit of the Catholic Church’s 2025 Jubilee Year, amplifying the voices of the marginalized, exposing injustice, and highlighting the beauty and resilience of humanity.

“We must remind the world that Africa is not just a land of war and poverty,” he insisted, and described the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent after Asia as “a land of rich cultural diversity, talent, joy, and dynamism.”

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“Tell the hope, share the hope. We no longer want death; we want to sing of hope,” the 63-year-old Ivorian Cardinal, who started his Episcopal Ministry in July 2004 as Bishop of Ivory Coast’s Katiola Diocese reiterated.

Reflecting on presidential elections in the West African nation slated for October 2025, Cardinal Dogbo called upon journalists to uphold integrity and avoid manipulation. 

“Resist all attempts at corruption and pressure. Avoid anything that could compromise your ethical responsibility towards the nation,” he said, adding his personal voice to the appeal that members of the Episcopal Conference of Ivory Coast (CECCI) to Ivory Coast’s politicians to foster unity and peace as the country prepares for the presidential elections.

Peace is never guaranteed but must be continuously built, Cardinal Dogbo said, and added, “Peace requires constant self-discipline and vigilance. Journalists have a duty to recover and consolidate this peace by ensuring truthful and responsible reporting.”

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