CHAPTER
IV
EQUIPMENT,
PERSONNEL AND ORGANIZATION
162. The place of the
instruments of social communication in human destiny, the opportunities and the
problems that they set before the Christian conscience: all this makes it
essential that a way be found for a pastoral approach to this field. Trained
and experienced men must be found for this work. The proper pastoral
structures, with all the necessary funding, rights and resources should also be
set up. Finally, special organizations should be devoted to the apostolate of
each of the media.
163. This modern mission of
the Church will mean a great deal to the faithful. They will offer their
prayers and support so that she will be adequately equipped to fulfill it. The
latest media of social communication are indispensable means for
evangelization, and enlightening the minds and heart of men. They also
contribute towards cooperation in furthering human progress by a Christian
leavening of the social order.
164. The official Catholic
organizations and enterprises that work in social communications with a
pastoral end in view, should be able to call upon trained personnel. The
training of laymen, priests and religious is to be given a high priority by
those responsible for this work in the Church.
165. A careful appraisal of
the entire range of the communications media, a prudent and well-informed
planning for pastoral work and in every apostolic enterprise, all this is the
rightful province of the ecclesiastical authorities. They, in their turn,
should depend upon the advice of experienced experts in the different branches
of communication. According to the ground rules laid down in Inter Mirifica
this duty devolves upon every Bishops in every diocese, 65 upon a
special commission of Bishops or a Bishop-Delegate in each country 66
and, for the Universal Church, upon the Pontifical Commission for Social
Communications. 67
166. The different sorts of
projects and organizations for the specialized apostolate in social
communications should everywhere be promoted and coordinated one with another.
68 The ecclesiastical authorities should encourage the free flowering
of Catholic initiative in this, but they should retain guidance over those
works which properly belong to the priestly ministry, and over those which -
according to the circumstances of time and place - demand a commitment on the
part of the hierarchy on behalf of the faithful.
167. The competent
ecclesiastical authorities at all levels (mentioned in para. 165) will lend
their full support to the preparation and celebration of World Communications
Day. This day has been designed specially to honour the professionals in the
media and to encourage their cooperation. 69 The ecclesiastical
authorities will present regularly to the episcopal conferences projects for
financing pastoral activity in the field of social communications.
168. The local hierarchies
will take a keen interest in the apostolate of social communications. They will
seek the advice of their priests and laity. Wherever possible, diocesan, or at
least, interdiocesan offices will be set up. One of the chief tasks of these is
to organize this pastoral apostolate within the diocese, penetrating right down
to parish level. Another task is to prepare for the celebration of World
Communications Day mentioned above within the diocese.
169. A national office for
the communications media should be set up in every country. It can be divided
into specialized and reasonably autonomous departments for each of the separate
media. Or it can have separate offices for the press, motion pictures and
broadcasting that work closely together. 70 In any case, the whole of
this apostolate should be placed under a single, overall direction.
170. It is the mission of the
national and diocesan offices to stimulate, promote and harmonize Catholic
activities in the field of social communications. They will take particular
pains about the training of the faithful, clerical and lay, by means of
organized courses, conferences, study sessions and critical assessments
prepared by their experts. So, the public will be enabled to make wise
decisions. The Offices will also be ready to give advice to producers engaged
on films, performance or broadcasts that concern religious subjects.
171. The National and
Diocesan Offices will maintain these contacts with the professional world of
social communications. They will furnish the documentary material, the advice
and the pastoral assistance that professional communicators may require. They
also are to organize World Communications Day on the national level and
organize the collection of funds that the Decree of the Council suggests should
be made on that day. 71
172. The national espiscopal
commission for social communications or the delegated bishop are in charge of
the direction of all the activities of the national offices. They are to lay
down general guidelines for the development of the apostolate of social
communications on the national level. They will keep in touch with the other
national episcopal commissions and collaborate with the Pontifical Commission
for Social Communications. The status of this Commission is described in the
Conciliar Decree, Inter Mirifica72 and in the Apostolic
Letter, In Fructibus multis. 73
173. On continents or in
regions where an episcopal conference exists that embraces several countries,
this episcopal conference will have an office for social communications under
the overall direction of a bishop or a number of bishops.
174. Every bishop, all
episcopal conferences or bishops' assemblies and the Holy See itself should
each have their own official and permanent spokesman or press officer to issue
the news and give clear explanations of the documents of the Church so that
people can grasp precisely what is intended. These spokesmen will give, in full
and without delay, information on the life and work of the Church in that area
for which they are responsible. It is highly recommended that individual
dioceses and the more weighty Catholic organizations also have their own
permanent spokesmen with the sort of duties explained above. All these
officials and, indeed, all those who are identified with the Church in the mind
of the public, should take into account the principles of public relations.
They should consider the sort of audience they are, at various times,
addressing and establish a relationship that is based on mutual trust and
understanding. This can only be maintained as long as people have a genuine
regard and consideration for one another and a scrupulous respect for the
truth.
175. It is not enough to have
a public spokesman. There must be a continual two-way flow of news and
information. On the one hand, this aims to present a true image of the Church
in a way that makes it visible to all. On the other, this exchange reveals to
the ecclesiastical authorities the surges, currents and ideas that stir the
world of men. Clearly this calls for the cultivation of friendly relations
based on mutual reverence between the Church, people and groups. In this way
continual exchanges can be fostered, with each side both giving and receiving.
74
176. To make sure of an
effective dialogue, both within the Church and with the outside world, on the
subject of recent events and their religious significance, official news
bulletins are indispensable. These will publicize relevant news items as
quickly as possible. The public, in this way, will get their information in good
time. Needless to say, all the necessary means are to be used to make these
bulletins absolutely accurate and so avoid the necessity for subsequent
corrections. News flashes, telex, all the latest techniques will be used to
convey precise meanings in the most dependable way.
177. Religious orders and
congregations will give thought to the many pressing tasks of the Church in the
field of social communications and consider what they themselves can do to
fulfill them under their constitutions. Their own specialized institutions for
social communications will collaborate with one another and they will keep
abreast of the overall pastoral planning of the diocesan offices, and of the
national, continental or regional offices since these are, usually, the
competent bodies for the aspostolate of social communications.
178. The national
offices75 and the corresponding central offices of the religious
congregations will cooperate with the international organizations for the press,
(U.C.I.P.), for motion pictures, (O.C.I.C.), and for radio and television,
(UNDA). This will be done in accord with the statutes of these international
organizations as approved by the Holy See. 76
179. These international
Catholic organizations for social communications - each in its own sphere and
in a way that fits its statutes - will help professionals and the national
professional bodies of Catholics who have given themselves to these tasks. The
way to do this is to keep abreast of research and development in the media.
They will foster mutual aid and international cooperation. They will keep
themselves informed on Catholic activity in the field. They will prepare the
coordination of international programmes and projects. They will continually
seek advice on the best ways to help developing countries. They will encourage
fresh initiatives. They will produce and distribute films and recorded
broadcasts and every sort of audiovisual material, including the printed word.
They will do all this for the advancement of social progress and for the
betterment of Catholic life. These international Catholic organizations are
exhorted to undertake and to coordinate research for the solution of their
common problems.
180. The episcopal
conferences, through their specialized offices, and the Catholic professional
associations, will assure for the international catholic organization the funds
necessary for doing this work.
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