Pope Leo XIV has condemned the malicious use of confidential information, particularly against the Church, and urged intelligence services to uphold human dignity and exercise vigilance.
Speaking during an audience at the Vatican with Italian intelligence officers on Friday, the American pope stressed the need for strict vigilance to prevent confidential information from being misused for intimidation, manipulation, blackmail, or discrediting others.
He stressed that such misuse also affects the Church. In some countries, intelligence services act with malicious intent, suppressing the Church’s freedom, he warned.
Without naming specific nations, Leo XIV referred to instances where the Catholic Church faces restrictions based on state intelligence, as seen in countries like Nicaragua.
In recent years, the Nicaraguan government has intensified repression against Catholic institutions, confiscating properties and expelling dozens of clergy members.
During the audience, which marked the centenary of Italy’s intelligence services, the pope emphasised the importance of respecting human dignity and individual rights.
He called for limits, particularly as technology grows increasingly powerful, and cautioned intelligence professionals to remain vigilant against potential abuses of their authority.
National security measures must always safeguard individual rights, including privacy, family life, freedom of conscience and information, and the right to a fair trial, the Pope concluded.
