Speaking in St. Peter’s Square on April 12, Pope Francis urged “keyboard warriors” to focus less on grandstanding from behind their desk, and instead dedicate their time to being physically present in society as a representative of the Faith.
“One does not proclaim the Gospel standing still, locked in an office, at one’s desk, or at one’s computer engaging in polemics like ‘keyboard warriors’ and replacing the creativity of proclamation with copy-and-paste ideas taken from here and there,” Pope Francis said. “The Gospel is proclaimed by moving, by walking, by going.”
Pope Francis then referenced the Epistle of St. Paul to the Ephesians, in which St. Paul instructed Catholics to don the armor of God and have their feet “shod in readiness for the Gospel of peace.” Pope Francis emphasized that St. Paul connects zeal for the Gospel with footwear “because one who goes to proclaim must move, must walk.”