SUMMARY:
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A CHURCH WHO WISHES TO COMMUNICATE
-
POPE'S MESSAGE FOR THE 48TH WORLD DAY OF SOCIAL COMMUNICATIONS
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ARCHBISHOP TOMASI: THERE IS NO MILITARY SOLUTION TO THE CRISIS IN
SYRIA
-
AUDIENCES
-
OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS
______________________________________
A
CHURCH WHO WISHES TO COMMUNICATE
Vatican
City, 23 January 2014 (VIS) – This morning a press conference was
held in the Holy See Press Office during which Archbishop Claudio
Maria Celli, president of the Pontifical Council for Social
Communications, and Professor Chiara Giaccardi of the faculty of
philosophy and letters of the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart
in Milan, Italy, presented the Holy Father's message for the 48th
World Day of Social Communication, entitled, “Communication at the
service of an authentic culture of encounter”.
Archbishop
Celli explained that “in the message, there clearly emerges the
image of a Church who wishes to communicate, who wishes to enter into
dialogue with men and women of today, aware of the role that has been
entrusted to her in this context. The Pope has mentioned the theme of
the culture of encounter many times, inviting the Church and her
members to face various dimensions and needs specific to this
culture. In the text two broad wavelengths can be seen. The first
part of the message is directed towards the world of communication in
the lay context, in which the Pope offers useful reflections for
those who have not taken the religious option in life but who are
nonetheless called upon to perceive or are already aware of the
profound human value of the world of communication”.
“However,
it is in addressing the Lord's disciples that the message
demonstrates its specific tone, depth and frequency, and the
reference to the parable of the good Samaritan is particularly
evocative, as it helps us to understand communication in terms of
proximity to others. … From this perspective, a challenge emerges
to all of us who endeavour to be the Lord's disciples: to discover
that the digital network can be a place rich in humanity, a network
not of cables but rather of human beings”.
The
president of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications
emphasised that the message is “eminently Franciscan”, as it
shows a profound harmony between the image of the Church as portrayed
by the Pope and the world of communication. “It is undeniable that
speaking about the culture of encounter means focusing on others, and
the Church may not abdicate her role of 'accompanying, of going
beyond merely listening; a Church who walks the path alongside us'.
Three words resound in these texts: neighbourliness, solidarity,
encounter. … If the culture of encounter means attention to and
solidarity with man in the reality of the path he walks daily, then
it must be able, through respectful dialogue, to lead today's men and
women towards the encounter with Christ”.
In
her address, Professor Giaccardi observed that, taking as a starting
point the fundamental dimension of encounter, the Pope's document
offers at least three clear indications for interpreting the
contemporary world where the means of communication, above all the
digital media, are almost omnipresent. “First of all”, she said,
“communication is by definition a human, rather than a
technological conquest. Technology may facilitate or hinder, but it
does not determine. … If the anthropological dimension prevails
over the technological, then any form of determinism should be
denied. The internet does not make us more sociable, nor does it
cause us to be more alone. We must not, therefore, use it as an alibi
or as a scapegoat instead of assuming our own responsibilities.
Secondly, understanding communication in terms of solidarity, rather
than transmission (which may easily take place from a distance), has
profound implications for education, formation, training, and
catechesis. … Thirdly, when the word and life are in profound
harmony, the communicator is credible. Witness, or rather the word
incarnate, brings warmth and beauty to all paths, digital ones
included”.
Finally,
Giaccardi commented on the image of the good Samaritan, referred to
by the Pope in the message as the “parable of the communicator”,
emphasising that “the Samaritan was neither a technician nor a
specialist”, and that “knowledge or social prestige are not
enough to make us capable of communicating, let alone fully human; it
is a reproach to the 'Church of functionaries', but also to
journalists (and intellectuals) and their world which is certainly
not immune to self-referentiality”.
“Journalists,
and also academics, must decide which side they are on: the world is
injured and journalists depict this, by their 'right to inform',
claiming neutrality and objectivity, then pass on to the next story.
Or worse, they can be scoundrels who manipulate and distort reality,
without giving due consideration to the consequences of their actions
and their words, in order to obtain personal advantage. Or, on the
other hand, they can be like the good Samaritan, who looks
benevolently upon the wounded … who tries to help him as best he
can, and calls others to action, giving rise to a chain reaction on
the basis of his witness”.
POPE'S
MESSAGE FOR THE 48TH WORLD DAY OF SOCIAL COMMUNICATIONS
Vatican
City, 23 January 2014 (VIS) – “Communication at the service of an
authentic culture of encounter” is the title of Pope Francis'
message for the 48th World Day of Social Communications, the only
world day established by Vatican Council II (Inter Mirifica, 1963),
which is celebrated on the Sunday before the feast of Pentecost
(which falls on 1 June 2014). The message is dated 24 January,
memorial of St. Francis of Sales, patron saint of communicators. The
full text of the message is published below:
“Dear
Brothers and Sisters,
“Today
we are living in a world which is growing ever 'smaller' and where,
as a result, it would seem to be easier for all of us to be
neighbours. Developments in travel and communications technology are
bringing us closer together and making us more connected, even as
globalization makes us increasingly interdependent. Nonetheless,
divisions, which are sometimes quite deep, continue to exist within
our human family. On the global level we see a scandalous gap between
the opulence of the wealthy and the utter destitution of the poor.
Often we need only walk the streets of a city to see the contrast
between people living on the street and the brilliant lights of the
store windows. We have become so accustomed to these things that they
no longer unsettle us. Our world suffers from many forms of
exclusion, marginalization and poverty, to say nothing of conflicts
born of a combination of economic, political, ideological, and,
sadly, even religious motives.
“In
a world like this, media can help us to feel closer to one another,
creating a sense of the unity of the human family which can in turn
inspire solidarity and serious efforts to ensure a more dignified
life for all. Good communication helps us to grow closer, to know one
another better, and ultimately, to grow in unity. The walls which
divide us can be broken down only if we are prepared to listen and
learn from one another. We need to resolve our differences through
forms of dialogue which help us grow in understanding and mutual
respect. A culture of encounter demands that we be ready not only to
give, but also to receive. Media can help us greatly in this,
especially nowadays, when the networks of human communication have
made unprecedented advances. The internet, in particular, offers
immense possibilities for encounter and solidarity. This is something
truly good, a gift from God.
“This
is not to say that certain problems do not exist. The speed with
which information is communicated exceeds our capacity for reflection
and judgement, and this does not make for more balanced and proper
forms of self-expression. The variety of opinions being aired can be
seen as helpful, but it also enables people to barricade themselves
behind sources of information which only confirm their own wishes and
ideas, or political and economic interests. The world of
communications can help us either to expand our knowledge or to lose
our bearings. The desire for digital connectivity can have the effect
of isolating us from our neighbours, from those closest to us. We
should not overlook the fact that those who for whatever reason lack
access to social media run the risk of being left behind.
“While
these drawbacks are real, they do not justify rejecting social media;
rather, they remind us that communication is ultimately a human
rather than technological achievement. What is it, then, that helps
us, in the digital environment, to grow in humanity and mutual
understanding? We need, for example, to recover a certain sense of
deliberateness and calm. This calls for time and the ability to be
silent and to listen. We need also to be patient if we want to
understand those who are different from us. People only express
themselves fully when they are not merely tolerated, but know that
they are truly accepted. If we are genuinely attentive in listening
to others, we will learn to look at the world with different eyes and
come to appreciate the richness of human experience as manifested in
different cultures and traditions. We will also learn to appreciate
more fully the important values inspired by Christianity, such as the
vision of the human person, the nature of marriage and the family,
the proper distinction between the religious and political spheres,
the principles of solidarity and subsidiarity, and many others.
“How,
then, can communication be at the service of an authentic culture of
encounter? What does it mean for us, as disciples of the Lord, to
encounter others in the light of the Gospel? In spite of our own
limitations and sinfulness, how do we draw truly close to one
another? These questions are summed up in what a scribe – a
communicator – once asked Jesus: 'And who is my neighbour?' (Lk
10:29). This question can help us to see communication in terms of
'neighbourliness'. We might paraphrase the question in this way: How
can we be 'neighbourly' in our use of the communications media and in
the new environment created by digital technology? I find an answer
in the parable of the Good Samaritan, which is also a parable about
communication. Those who communicate, in effect, become neighbours.
The Good Samaritan not only draws nearer to the man he finds half
dead on the side of the road; he takes responsibility for him. Jesus
shifts our understanding: it is not just about seeing the other as
someone like myself, but of the ability to make myself like the
other. Communication is really about realizing that we are all human
beings, children of God. I like seeing this power of communication as
'neighbourliness'.
“Whenever
communication is primarily aimed at promoting consumption or
manipulating others, we are dealing with a form of violent aggression
like that suffered by the man in the parable, who was beaten by
robbers and left abandoned on the road. The Levite and the priest do
not regard him as a neighbour, but as a stranger to be kept at a
distance. In those days, it was rules of ritual purity which
conditioned their response. Nowadays there is a danger that certain
media so condition our responses that we fail to see our real
neighbour.
“It
is not enough to be passers-by on the digital highways, simply
'connected'; connections need to grow into true encounters. We cannot
live apart, closed in on ourselves. We need to love and to be loved.
We need tenderness. Media strategies do not ensure beauty, goodness
and truth in communication. The world of media also has to be
concerned with humanity, it too is called to show tenderness. he
digital world can be an environment rich in humanity; a network not
of wires but of people. The impartiality of media is merely an
appearance; only those who go out of themselves in their
communication can become a true point of reference for others.
Personal engagement is the basis of the trustworthiness of a
communicator. Christian witness, thanks to the internet, can thereby
reach the peripheries of human existence.
“As
I have frequently observed, if a choice has to be made between a
bruised Church which goes out to the streets and a Church suffering
from self-absorption, I certainly prefer the first. Those 'streets'
are the world where people live and where they can be reached, both
effectively and affectively. The digital highway is one of them, a
street teeming with people who are often hurting, men and women
looking for salvation or hope. By means of the internet, the
Christian message can reach 'to the ends of the earth' (Acts 1:8).
Keeping the doors of our churches open also means keeping them open
in the digital environment so that people, whatever their situation
in life, can enter, and so that the Gospel can go out to reach
everyone. We are called to show that the Church is the home of all.
Are we capable of communicating the image of such a Church?
Communication is a means of expressing the missionary vocation of the
entire Church; today the social networks are one way to experience
this call to discover the beauty of faith, the beauty of encountering
Christ. In the area of communications too, we need a Church capable
of bringing warmth and of stirring hearts.
“Effective
Christian witness is not about bombarding people with religious
messages, but about our willingness to be available to others 'by
patiently and respectfully engaging their questions and their doubts
as they advance in their search for the truth and the meaning of
human existence' (BENEDICT XVI, Message for the 47th World
Communications Day, 2013). We need but recall the story of the
disciples on the way to Emmaus. We have to be able to dialogue with
the men and women of today, to understand their expectations, doubts
and hopes, and to bring them the Gospel, Jesus Christ himself, God
incarnate, who died and rose to free us from sin and death. We are
challenged to be people of depth, attentive to what is happening
around us and spiritually alert. To dialogue means to believe that
the 'other' has something worthwhile to say, and to entertain his or
her point of view and perspective. Engaging in dialogue does not mean
renouncing our own ideas and traditions, but the claim that they
alone are valid or absolute.
“May
the image of the Good Samaritan who tended to the wounds of the
injured man by pouring oil and wine over them be our inspiration. Let
our communication be a balm which relieves pain and a fine wine which
gladdens hearts. May the light we bring to others not be the result
of cosmetics or special effects, but rather of our being loving and
merciful 'neighbours' to those wounded and left on the side of the
road. Let us boldly become citizens of the digital world. The Church
needs to be concerned for, and present in, the world of
communication, in order to dialogue with people today and to help
them encounter Christ. She needs to be a Church at the side of
others, capable of accompanying everyone along the way. The
revolution taking place in communications media and in information
technologies represents a great and thrilling challenge; may we
respond to that challenge with fresh energy and imagination as we
seek to share with others the beauty of God.”
ARCHBISHOP
TOMASI: THERE IS NO MILITARY SOLUTION TO THE CRISIS IN SYRIA
Vatican
City, 23 January 2014 (VIS) – Archbishop Silvano M. Tomasi, head of
the Holy See delegation, spoke yesterday at the international
conference on Syria taking place in Montreux, Switzerland. The
prelate remarked that “confronted with the indescribable suffering
of the Syrian people, a sense of solidarity and common responsibility
prompts us to engage in a dialogue which is based on honesty, mutual
trust, and concrete steps” and stressed that dialogue is the only
way forward.
“There
is no military solution to the Syrian crisis”, he said. “The Holy
See is convinced that violence leads nowhere but to death,
destruction and no future. … The Holy See renews its urgent appeal
to all the parties concerned for the full and absolute respect for
humanitarian law”.
He
presented various proposals, emphasising that “an immediate
cease-fire without preconditions and the end to violence of all kinds
should become a priority and the urgent goal of these negotiations”,
to which he added that “all weapons should be laid down and
specific steps should be taken to stop the flow of arms and arms
funding that feed the escalation of violence and destruction, to
leave room for the instruments of peace”.
Likewise,
he commented that the cessation of hostilities should be accompanied
by “increased humanitarian assistance and the immediate start of
reconstruction”, which should “start together with negotiations
and should be sustained by the generous solidarity of the
international community. In this process, young people should be
given a preferential consideration so that through their employment
and work they may become protagonists for a peaceful and creative
future for their country”.
“Community
rebuilding calls for dialogue and reconciliation sustained by a
spiritual dimension. The Holy See strongly encourages all religious
faiths and communities in Syria to reach a deeper mutual knowledge, a
better understanding and a restoration of trust”.
He
continued, “It is important that regional and international powers
favour the ongoing dialogue and that regional problems be addressed.
Peace in Syria could become a catalyst of peace in other parts of the
region, and a model of that peace that is so urgently needed”.
“Beyond
the tragedies of the current crisis, new opportunities and original
solutions for Syria and its neighbours can come about. … [so that]
no-one is forced to leave his country because of intolerance and the
inability to accept differences. In fact, the equality assured by
common citizenship can allow the individual to express for himself
and in community with others the fundamental values all persons hold
indispensable to sustain their inner identity”.
The
archbishop concluded by emphasising that since the Syrian crisis
began, the Holy See has been following its developments with deep
concern and has constantly advocated that all parties involved commit
themselves to the prevention of violence and to the provision of
humanitarian assistance to all victims.
The
Holy See observer also referred to the many occasions on which the
Pope has raised his voice “to remind people of the futility of
violence, inviting a negotiated resolution of problems, calling for a
just and equitable participation of everyone in the life of society”,
and highlighted the convocation by the Holy Father of a Day of Prayer
and Fasting for peace in Syria and the Middle East, which received an
overwhelmingly positive response worldwide. He concluded by remarking
that the culture of encounter and the culture of dialogue are “the
only way to peace”.
AUDIENCES
Vatican
City, 23 January 2014 (VIS) – This morning, the Holy Father
received in separate audiences:
-
Cardinal Camillo Ruini, vicar general emeritus of His Holiness for
the diocese of Rome.
-
Archbishop Celestino Migliore, apostolic nuncio in Poland.
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Archbishop Miguel Maury Buendia, apostolic nuncio in Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.
-
Archbishop Hector Ruben Aguer of La Plata, Argentina.
-
Bishop Eduardo Maria Taussig of San Rafael, Argentina.
This
afternoon, he is scheduled to receive:
-
Archbishop Lorenzo Baldisseri, secretary general of the Synod of
Bishops.
-
Bishop Adolfo Armando Uriona of Anatuya, Argentina.
Yesterday
the Holy Father received in audience Cardinal Angelo Sodano, dean of
the College of Cardinals.
OTHER
PONTIFICAL ACTS
Vatican
City, 23 January 2014 (VIS) – Today, the Holy Father appointed the
following as prelate auditors of the Roman Rota Tribunal: Msgr.
Antonio Bartolacci, moderator of the Chancery of the same Tribunal,
and Fr. Manuel Saturino da Costa Gomes, S.C.I., lecturer in Canon Law
at the faculty of theology and director of the Higher Institute of
Canon Law of the Universidade Catolica Portuguesa, and judge of the
Patriarchal Tribunal of Lisbon.
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