Know What’s Real
From: Bishop Timothy Freyer, The Office of the Bishop
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
In these times of rapid communication and digital media, we are blessed to have access to the words and witness of our Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV. However, I write to you today with a pastoral caution: Not all messages or videos claiming to come from the Holy Father are authentic.
Sadly, there has been a rise in fake social media accounts, manipulated videos and unauthorized commentary circulating online. These false or misleading materials often use the Pope’s name or image to sow confusion, division or misinformation. I urge you to exercise discernment and only to trust communications about or from the Holy Father that originate from legitimate, verified sources.
These include:
Holy Father’s X account: X.com/Pontifex
Holy Father’s Instagram: Instagram.com/pontifex
The official Vatican website: www.vatican.va
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB): www.usccb.org
Our Diocesan website and official parish communications
If you encounter something questionable online, I encourage you to pause, pray, and verify it before sharing with others.
