Pope Francis: fake news 'a very serious sin'

Pope Francis has criticized journalists who dig up up old scandals and sensationalize the news, calling it “a very serious sin”  that hurts all involved parties.

On the eve of his 81st birthday Saturday, Francis told Catholic media hat journalists perform a mission that is among the most "fundamental" to democratic societies.

“You shouldn't fall into the ‘sins of communication’: disinformation, or giving just one side, calumny that is sensationalized, or defamation, looking for things that are old news and have been dealt with and bringing them to light today,” the pope said.