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Sophia Pizzi interned with Vatican Radio for four months through a study abroad program with Villanova University. She left these tips for future interns coming to the English Program. 

Dear future interns of Vatican Radio,

I’m writing to you with both excitement and envy. I am about to leave the Radio after a semester of working abroad, and allow me be the first to tell you: you are in for an incredible experience. For me, it was three months of navigating a new land full of triumphs, mistakes, and plenty of surprises along the way. I thought it would be helpful to provide you a list of tips to know, based on my journey as you begin your own, so you can be a few steps ahead as you delve into the unique world known as Vatican media. 

1. No two days are the same. 

One day you might be in the office writing about climate change and the next you’ll be strolling through ancient Rome on your way to interview a refugee. And maybe the next day you’ll be attending Mass with people you don’t know in a church you’ve never been in. That’s the beauty of journalism in a place so deeply grounded in history and culture: you never know what is ahead, but I assure you it is always, always interesting. 

2. You’re not really an ‘intern’. You’re a journalist.

Generally speaking, interns tend to spend their time helping out. They take assignments from their superiors and go on their way, learning as they go. But at Vatican Radio, there is little time for others to tell you what to do. In more common words, you’ll be doing “the whole nine yards.” From brainstorming your own story ideas to posting stories online, you’ll be trusted with a coveted sense of autonomy. Take advantage of that.

3. The Vatican has walls but no boundaries.

Despite its location, Vatican Radio really has no geographical limits when it comes to reporting. Always remember that anywhere in the world is only a phone call away*. 

*But also don’t forget to be conscious of time zones. When it’s 10 a.m. in Rome and you want to interview someone in Ecuador, you will literally have to hold the phone. Patience is key.    

4. Be calm. 

I was attending my first press conference, and suddenly my colleague told me to go interview a world renowned human rights activist as if it was no big deal. The nervousness must have been apparent on my face, because Linda looked at me and said: “Tranquilla, Sophia”. That word has stuck with me ever since. Calm down. Sure it’s a big deal, but it’s also not as hard as it looks. Don’t make it harder for yourself by worrying too much, and have fun with it. People want to talk to you.

5. Follow the Pope. 

Both in real life and on social media, I mean. Any time Pope Francis is around, try to go and see him. I’ve seen him a few times at the General Audiences in St. Peter’s Square and at many of the events during Holy Week. Each time is different, but each time is also equally inspiring. Pope Francis also recently got an Instagram, and his account is extremely active! So even when you’re not at work, you can get a daily dose of what is happening at the Vatican and in the world.

6. When in doubt, quote an encyclical.

These might be the most important words you will read on this post: Laudato Si is your best friend. The words of Pope Francis, in Laudato Si and beyond, have so many real-world implications and therefore can be applied to countless stories and interviews. They stimulate great conversation and always make a story more meaningful.

7. Brush up on your Latin. And Italian. And French while you’re at it. It’s a mini United Nations over here. Everyone speaks everything.

You’ll be at a press conference, listening in English, when suddenly everyone will switch to Italian. Then you’ll be reading a transcript of a papal event, encountering ancient words with a seemingly unnecessary amount of R’s, U’s, M’s, and V’s in all of them. Sure you can get by with just English, but communication is all about understanding, right?! Not to mention Latin is the basis for words in many other languages, including English, so you can improve your own vocabulary too.

8. Don't be afraid to ask.

Voice, obviously, is a very powerful tool on the radio. Sometimes, as the chaotic world of journalism unfolds around you, you might feel like you're interrupting or bothering your colleagues as they go about their daily work. But the office truly holds a wealth of resources. There's no such thing as a silly question. Voice your questions, voice your interests, voice your opinions—it'll be more efficient and beneficial in the long run. (And make for good vocal practice when you have to voice your stories too!)

9.  Share everything.

Stories don't end when you hit "publish". Send your interviewees the pieces you include them in, because it brings the production experience full circle. Share your stories on Facebook. Send links to family and friends on WhatsApp. The more you and your social circles engage with the work you write, the more you'll learn about the content and reception of it. 

10. Don't forget to press record. 

Double, triple, quadruple check the microphone to make sure it's on and recording properly. You don’t want to lose a good interview because of technology. But also mentally and personally, don't forget to record what's happening at work. Like I said, it's a world of organized chaos, but it's a world you'll want to remember and learn from in the future. Remember sitting in conferences, remember pressing buttons in the recording booth, remember that one time you showed up for an interview and the building was locked with no one around. (Ok, maybe don’t remember that one.) But remember the little things too, like talking about journalism ethics over lunch or joking about radio commentaries over coffee. These are the moments you’re here to live, but also the moments to take home with you as memories.

With these few tips in mind, I promise your experience will go above and beyond any expectations you might have. Best wishes to you, I have faith you’ll do great things! 

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(Vatican Radio) Two blasts struck a central Syrian village on Thursday, killing at least six people and wounding dozens more.The attack came just hours after a truce brought relative calm to the northern city of Aleppo after weeks of escalating violence there.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the twin attacks.

The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for similar attacks in Homs province in recent months that killed scores of people.

In the last 2 weeks dozens of people were killed in violence between rebels and government forces which wrecked the first major ceasefire which had held since February.

The Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) has been helping the Church in Syria to provide people with food, clothing, accommodation and medication, as well as help for Christian refugees in neighbouring countries.

Speaking to Lydia O’Kane, ACN Press Officer John Newton said the situation in Aleppo is terrible.

Listen to the interview

“Just to give some idea how bad it is, over the weekend of course the Orthodox Church and the Eastern Catholic Church were celebrating Easter Sunday because they still follow the Julian calendar. We got told on Easter Sunday that there were only two Easter liturgies celebrated, both of them were very poorly attended and in fact what most people were doing on that day, they were either burying their dead…or they were staying at home, or in many cases… the roads out of the city were absolutely packed with people fleeing who were seeking to escape from the city because of the ongoing violence there.”

With regard to the latest cessation of  hostilities, he says, “the trouble is that the extremist groups people like al Nusra aren’t actually part of the formal ceasefire… and so you’ve still got these independent extremist rebel militia groups… who are continuing to bombard areas…”

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(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis on Wednesday evening sent a video message to the 39th National Assembly of the Confederation of Italian Cooperatives.

In his remarks, the Holy Father recalled the advice he first gave them during a meeting on February 28, 2015, in the Paul VI Audience Hall.

Pope Francis summarized those earlier remarks:

“Continue to be the motor that lifts and develops the weakest part of your local community and of civil society, especially by establishing companies to provide jobs; be leaders in creating new welfare solutions, as you are already doing;  Manage the cooperatives truly cooperatively - that is, involving all; Endeavour to support, facilitate and encourage family life. With the Apostolic Exhortation Amoris Laetitia I indicated a prospective of joy and responsibility, but the people and the families should not be left alone, and must harmonized work and family; Bring good means together with determination in order to accomplish good works. It takes creativity and generosity to capitalize your cooperatives and invest well; Counter the false cooperatives, because cooperatives must promote an economy of honesty; Participate actively in globalization in order to integrate – in the world – development, justice and peace.”

The Holy Father then told the participants that since that time “the drama, and often the tragedy, of migrants, terrorism without borders, and the global economic slowdown have made these words even more true.”

He told them it is their “origins which give you strength,” including their collaboration with the local church, and the ability to reach out to people in need.

“Beginning a business out of need is your talent,” Pope Francis said. “Maintain this richness, while you build a common perspective with other associations to make evident the value for every person of the true cooperative.”

He encouraged them to be “guided by the commitment to the common good” when deciding what programmes to pursue in the future.

“If the cooperative functions to build solidarity also among its members, it reinforces communal responsibility, the ability to recognize what the generosity of others can accomplish, as well as to accept the limits,” Pope Francis said.

The Holy Father said cooperatives build “fraternity,” and can be a “witness of how faith animates a concrete commitment” to humanity.

Pope Francis concluded by reminding the participants of the Holy Year of Mercy, and expressing his hope that the commitments taken up by the cooperatives become “an expression of mercy.”

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Washington D.C., May 5, 2016 / 03:29 am (CNA).- For Bishop Matthew Kukah, persecution is not just the history of the Church. It’s a reality that he lives every day.

In the diocese of Sokoto, located in northern Nigeria, ministry includes not only the normal sacramental and pastoral concerns of any other diocese. It also includes regularly responding to violence and attacks against the small Christian minority living in the majority-Muslim area.

Christians living in northern Nigeria today wonder “why have they and their institutions become target practice,” Bishop Kukah told CNA.

Christian churches and businesses – as well as the people who frequent them – suffer both targeted violence at the hands of Islamist extremists and destruction stemming from frustrations with the government, economy and social order, he said. And after the attacks, Christian communities face a wall of bureaucratic challenges and lack of government support as they struggle to rebuild.

The bishop said that he would not characterize the situation as a constant state of fear, but rather one of uncertainty.

“(Y)ou live in a state that is less than you expect as a citizen,” he said. “You don’t know what to expect tomorrow.”

Bishop Kukah spoke to CNA during a recent trip to the United States to alert U.S. officials and organizations about the plight faced by his people and other targets of Islamist fundamentalism. He made the trip as a guest of Aid to the Church in Need, a Catholic charity that focuses on helping persecuted Christians around the world.

A complex problem

“Christians suffer disproportionate violence from Muslim extremists for reasons that very often have nothing to do with the Christian community,” Bishop Kukah said.

In many cases, he elaborated, violence in the region is “unprovoked” by the Christian community, but instead occurs as a reaction to events such as unfair elections, economic misfortunes, or international events such as American military actions in Libya or Iraq.

In addition, both Christian and moderate Muslim communities face attacks from Boko Haram, an Islamist terrorist group based in the country. Since 2009, changing government relations and radicalization within Boko Haram have resulted in a dramatic increase in violent attacks against civilian targets, including the 2014 abduction of 276 schoolgirls from Chibook, Nigeria. In 2015, the Global Terrorism Index named Boko Haram the world’s deadliest terrorist organization, greater than ISIS.

Adding to the suffering of the community, Bishop Kukah said, is a lack of support from the government. While some targets of violence find government and societal aid in rebuilding and accessing services such as schools and hospitals, the state in northern Nigeria merely “looks on” as Christian churches and institutions struggle to rebuild.

“Our churches are being bombed with no compensation paid for the schools or other properties of the Church.”

Furthermore, non-Muslim institutions in general – including churches, schools and hospitals – are legally limited in northern Nigeria, the bishop said. Non-Muslims face restrictions purchasing land, constructing buildings, and seeking government funding for schools, along with a number of bureaucratic obstacles that do not exist for Muslim citizens living in the region.

And while heightened waves of violence have drawn some recent media attention, the roots of the conflict go back centuries, Bishop Kukah said. Conquest of the area by Muslim rulers, along with attitudes carried by British colonial leaders, have created the perception that Western education is opposed to Islam – a social divide which heightens the tension between Christian and Muslim neighbors today.

In addition, citizens are living in an area where there is “an almost total breakdown of trust,” he said: parents and children are separated, spouses or other family members may not have confirmation that their loved ones are even alive.

In this uncertainty, both the Christian and Muslim communities have separated even further, Bishop Kukah continued. “People were living side-by-side with one another, but now what you witness is a tale of two cities.”  

“Christians have relocated themselves to where they feel safe. Muslims have done the same.”

Building blocks of peace

Amid the division and disharmony, Bishop Kukah still hopes that northern Nigeria can move towards unification, a process that will require “leaders to bring things back together.”

The first step in countering violence, he said, is educating the public to counter projections and prejudices, which he claimed “are based on fear” as well as misunderstanding.

Catholic schools play a unique role in achieving this aim. The bishop pointed to a recent testing of northern Nigerian state’s students, in which the top two students from the entire state were selected to meet the governor.  Both students – one girl, one boy – came from the same Catholic school, one that does not receive any government support.  What’s more, he continued, both students were Muslim.

The meeting with the students was an opportunity to celebrate their achievements, Bishop Kukah said, but also to discuss the challenges Catholic schools face in the state. “The governor responded by telling me, even if it meant him buying the land, he would pay for [new land for schools].”

In addition, the bishop said, international actors have a role to play in reducing violence throughout northern Nigeria.

“The government of America must take full responsibility for how it shapes leadership around the world,” he commented, adding that policies and conflicts around the world bear consequences for the people of northern Nigeria. “We are suffering the collateral damage,” he lamented.  

The U.S. and other countries can also call attention to the persecution faced by Christians and other communities in Nigeria, he said, emphasizing that the opportunity to help those facing violence “is really a call to appreciation of our common humanity.”

But while international support is important, the solution to violence in Nigeria will ultimately come from within Nigeria, Bishop Kukah said.

“The primary responsibility of rebuilding our country rests with us,” he stressed, noting that change will take time and discussion with others in the community. He suggested engagement with the government to make concerns known, but also cautioned that government should focus on providing specific, practical solutions.

“When we talk about reconstruction, it is very important that the government of Nigeria appreciates the scope of the problem.”

Moving towards peace will require a collective effort, but to Bishop Kukah, it is one worth making.

“As we’re making progress, we’re also assuming responsibility,” he said.

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