CHAPTER
I
THE
CONTRIBUTION OF CATHOLICS TO SOCIAL COMMUNICATION
102. If Catholics are to be
of service to the means of social communication and to act so that these may
serve humanity's ends, it goes without saying that it is in the spiritual
sphere that the Church can best help. The Church hopes that, as a result of her
spiritual contribution, the basic nature of social communication will be more
clearly appreciated. The Church hopes, too, that the dignity of the human
person, both communicator and recipient, will be better understood and
respected. In this way this social interplay that makes neighbours of men can
lead to true communion.
103. Therefore the active
cooperation of Christians who are professionally competent in this field is a
major service to social communication. The excellence which they bring to their
professional duty is itself a powerful testimony to Christianity. Moreover, as
members of companies or organizations without religious affiliations, they will
bring to the fore a Christian point of view on all questions that exercise men
in society. They can help news editors and newscasters not to overlook news
items about religious life which will interest their audience. They can give
the religious dimension to human life. It goes without saying that they are not
at this work in order to dominate the media with their viewpoint. Rather they
aim to give a service which will earn the sympathy of their colleagues simply
by its quality.
104. It is a source of
strength for Catholic commumicators that they receive from the Church spiritual
help to meet the needs of their important and difficult role.
105. Fully aware of the
importance of their profession and of the special difficulties it involves, the
Church is very willing to undertake a dialogue with all communicators of every
religious persuasion. She would do this so that she may contribute to a common
effort to solve the problems inherent in their task and do what is best for the
benefit of man.
106. As representatives of
the Church, bishops, priests, religious and laity are increasingly asked to
write in the press or appear on radio and television or to collaborate in
filming. They are warmly urged to undertake this work, which has consequences
that are far more important than is usually imagined. But the complexity of the
media requires a sound knowledge of their work, of their impact and of the best
way to use them. It is therefore the task of the national centres and of the
specialized organizations to make certain that those who have to use the media
receive sufficient and timely training.
107. The Church considers it
to be one of her most urgent tasks to provide the means for training recipients
in Christian principles. This also is a service to social communication. The
well-trained recipient will be able to take part in the dialogue promoted by
the media and will demand high quality in communications. Catholic schools and
organizations cannot ignore the urgent duty they have in this field. These
schools and institutions will take care to teach young people not only to be
good Christians when they are recipients but also to be active in using all the
aids to communication that lie within the media, now called the "total
language". So, young people will be true citizens of that age of social
communication which has already begun.
108. The whole question of
social communications deserves attention from theologians particularly in the
areas of moral and pastoral theology. Religious education too, ought to include
instruction on the modern media and their principal implications. This will be
more readily achieved when theologians have studied the suggestions in the
First Part of this Instruction and enriched them with their research and
insight.
109. Parents, educators,
priests and Christian organizations should encourage young people with the
right qualities to take up a career in social communication. To do this and to
provide properly trained candidates, funds are necessary. In developing areas,
the national hierarchies should get financial help for the training of local
candidates both in theory and practice.
110. Bishops, priests,
religious and laity, all in their own ways, have a clear duty to contribute to
Christian education in this field. They must make this contribution with the
social teaching of the Church in mind. They will of their own accord keep in
touch with the latest developments in communications so as to be well informed
themselves. Otherwise they will lack that familiarity with the media which
their actual use requires. Working with professional communicators, they will
be wise to go more deeply into the problems presented by communicating through
the media and to exchange their experiences and ideas.
111. If students for the
priesthood and religious in training wish to be part of modern life and also to
be at all effective in their apostolate, they should know how the media work
upon the fabric of society and the technique of their use. This knowledge
should be an integral part of their ordinary education. Indeed without this
knowledge an effective apostolate is impossible in a society which is
increasingly conditioned by the media. 51 It is also desirable that
priests and religious understand how public opinion and popular attitudes come
into being so that they can suit both the situation and the people of their
time. They can find the media of great help in their effort to announce the
Word of God to modern men. Students who show a special gift in the handling of
the media should be given higher training.
112. Reviews of radio and
television broadcasts, of films and illustrated magazines can be of help in
cultural and religious education. They will also help those who wish to make a
wise choice of what the media have to offer, particularly for the family. In
this connection, particular attention should be paid to reviews that have real
competence. These include assessment of the worth, the morality and the
Christian value of films, broadcasts and writings issued under the pastoral
care of bishops in different regions by specially appointed boards.
113. Catholic universities
and educational institutions should be more assiduous in the promotion of
scientific studies and research on social communications. They will try to
collate all the findings of research, themselves play a part in this research,
and make all of it available to the service of Christian education. While they
will need financial help from others for these projects, they too will readily
cooperate with other institutions.
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