Papal Meetings
Pope calls on media to promote the dignity of man, marriage, and the family
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Vatican City, Mar 9, 2007 / 11:20 am (CNA).- Today in the Vatican, Benedict XVI received participants in the plenary assembly of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, which is presided over by Archbishop John P. Foley. Addressing them in English, the Pope expressed his thanks "for your commitment to the apostolate of social communications, the importance of which cannot be underestimated in our increasingly technological world.
 
"The field of social communications is fast-changing," the Pope added. "While the print media struggles to maintain circulation, other forms of media such as radio, television and the internet are developing at an extraordinary rate. Against the backdrop of globalization, this ascendancy of the electronic media coincides with its increasing concentration in the hands of a few multinational conglomerates whose influence crosses all social and cultural boundaries."
 
The Holy Father expressed the view that "much of great benefit to civilization is contributed by the various components of the mass media," and in this context he mentioned "quality documentaries and news services, wholesome entertainment, and thought-provoking debates and interviews." Internet too "has opened up a world of knowledge and learning that previously for many could only be accessed with difficulty, if at all."
 
"On the other hand, it is also readily apparent that much of what is transmitted in various forms to the homes of millions of families around the world is destructive." For her part, the Church, "by directing the light of Christ's truth upon such shadows, engenders hope."
 
Pope Benedict concluded his talk by referring to his Message for World Communications Day, dedicated this year to the relationship between the media and young people. "The responsibility to introduce and educate children and young people into the ways of beauty, truth and goodness is," he said, "a grave one. It can be supported by media conglomerates only to the extent that they promote fundamental human dignity, the true value of marriage and family life, and the positive achievements and goals of humanity. I appeal again to the leaders of the media industry to advise producers to safeguard the common good, to uphold the truth, to protect individual human dignity and promote respect for the needs of the family."

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Subscriber comments:
Published by: George Angel
Canada 03/10/2007 11:59 AM EST
The members of the major world mainstream media have a grave responsibility to as Pope Benedict XVI says: "to introduce and educate children and young people into the ways of beauty, truth and goodness." While the media when it wants can be a vehicle of good, all too often and much more often than not, today the media through print, television, radio, movies and other sources promotes values that are in complete contradiction to truth, goodness and beauty. When you promote and endorse chaos and darkness through the means of social communications around the world, caos and darkness is what will result. You reap what you sow. Let us pray for all our brothers and sisters in Christ in the media throughout the entire world that they come to know the light, love and infinite mercy of the God of all of us who created mankind, the earth, the universe and beyond. Only then will they come to realize this grave responsibilty to use the means of social communications to educate children and young people into the ways of beauty, truth and goodness." Pray, Pray, Pray!
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Published by: Robert Rice
New Hartford, CT, USA 03/10/2007 09:44 AM EST
Hey jack, can you be any more rude? Your remark about the Pontiff's direction to the media should have been "amen"!

The Holy Father is right. The media is the instument of much of the destruction of mankind, the destroyer of the dignity of life and it insults and degrades the family. The media my dear Jack is more than newspapers.It is the Movie industry, the Drive by media news, radio, magazines and television. Stop griping about what you read in the "Catholic paper" for they too are part of the media and are also included in the Holy Father's message.

Why don't you stop slandering the Pope's message and pray to enact this change in our media, and in our country. And stop watching secular tv. It's affected your mind in a negative way.
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Published by: Jack Angelo Territo
Buffalo,ny, USA 03/09/2007 03:25 PM EST
WHY DOES'NT THE POPE TELL THE AMERICAN CATHOLIC NEWSPAPERS AND CHURCH BULLETINS TO WRITE ABOUT THE DIGNITY OF MAN, FAMILY AND LIFE instead of mass time and bingo???
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