Pope to World SIGNIS Congress: Embrace digital communication that promotes human dignity

KIGALI, Rwanda — Pope Leo XIV called on Catholic communicators gathered this week in Kigali, Rwanda, to use digital communication platforms available to them to promote the common good, human dignity, truth, and environmental stewardship.
The pope’s message was delivered by the apostolic nuncio in Rwanda, Archbishop Arnaldo Sánchez Catalán , during the opening ceremony of the first-ever SIGNIS World Congress to be held in Africa, taking place in Kigali under the theme “Digital Communication for Cultural Harmony and Environmental Well-Being.”
In the message, sent through Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin , Pope Leo XIV expressed his spiritual closeness to participants and said he hoped their deliberations would provide “a new impetus” for ensuring that communication platforms serve the common good of the human family.
The pope warned against a communication culture increasingly shaped by algorithms rather than genuine human encounter.
He noted that the digital age has transformed everyday life, emphasizing that online communication goes beyond the transmission of information.
In his encyclical Magnifica Humanitas , Pope Leo XIV observes that digital…



