PART THREE

THE COMMITMENT OF CATHOLICS IN THE MEDIA

101. Catholics have been asked by the Second Vatican Council to consider still more carefully and in the light of the Faith what new work and responsibility the modern means of social communication place upon them. In the first part of this Instruction, we have suggested how the history of salvation implied a vital role for social communications in God's creative and redeeming work among men. In interpreting her responsibilities in this, the Church tries to give a coherent vision that will embrace both the faith and the practical working of social communication. It is in this light that she will fulfill her divine mission, which is the object of all her pastoral activity and which has the dual aspects of helping men and of announcing the Good News. The aspect of human progress by the media has been generally discussed in the second part of this document. The specifically Christian and Catholic contribution to human advancement will be dealt with briefly in the following chapter of this third part which is concerned with the role of the media in the life of Catholics.