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World Communications Day Message
- By SCMO
- Published 18/05/2007
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Theme: "Children and the Media: ?A Challenge for Education"
My Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
The theme of the Forty-first World Communications Day, "Children and the Media: A Challenge for Education", invites us to reflect on two immensely important topics: the formation of children and the formation of our media.
In setting this theme, the Pope tells us quite rightly that the media profoundly shape the cultural environment he also highlights claims by many that “the formative influence of the media today rivals that of the school, the Church, and maybe even the home”. This is a very challenging reality for Catholic families. The Church constantly upholds, supports and defends the work of our Catholic schools and concerns itself with their staffing, curriculum and mission. Catholic parents across Scotland do the same.
Perhaps however we should focus more attention on the deep and pervasive impact of the media on our young people. An influence, which if unchecked and unrestrained risks undermining the formation in faith we provide them in our homes, schools and parishes. It is not surprising that many parents feel daunted by the prospect of monitoring or moderating their children’s use of the media in a materialistic, secular culture like our own.
Satellite, digital and Internet television and radio, computer games and mobile phones bombard our children with images and messages we feel unable to control. The task of influencing this output and the impact it has on its audience seems truly beyond us. The risks of failing to do so are equally immense. Without training in the proper use of the media we risk jeopardising the cultural, moral and spiritual development of children.
How are we to act? What steps must we take? Above all it is important that we do not turn and run away from the media output that shapes our society. In his message on today’s theme, the Pope does not call on us to escape from or shun the media reality we find ourselves in but rather to be discerning and discriminating consumers. We should look for beauty and truth in programming content and in this search children need to be accompanied and assisted as they interact with the media. In the words of Pope Benedict XVI, “Media education should always be positive. Children exposed to what is aesthetically and morally excellent are helped to develop appreciation, prudence and the skills of discernment.”
Parents can promote the many films, television programmes and music, which are uplifting, inspiring, and informative, they can also lead by example, by ignoring and rejecting material which is coarse and sensational. Learning how to reach for the ‘off’ switch is a skill all children should be taught! We do well to remember that our homes needn’t be filled with images and sounds every hour of every day. Turning off the pre-packaged entertainment allows children to develop their own skills as active communicators rather than passive receivers.
We must also be aware of the pressures and ethical dilemmas faced by those who work in the media and support them when they attempt to uphold the truth, protect human dignity and promote respect for the needs of the family. Our national media office interacts, on our behalf, with the mass media in all its forms every day. Promoting the work of the Church and its teachings, correcting, persuading and cooperating with broadcasters, editors and journalists to promote a Christian vision of humanity to viewers, listeners and readers. We owe them our support in the work they do.
With this in mind I turn to the subject of finance. If we are to meaningfully interact with the media and have an impact on their agenda it is essential that Scottish Catholics fund the work of our Media Office. In recent years many of us have become familiar with the pay-per-view system, which allows viewers to watch a single sporting event or film on payment of a fee of several pounds. The amount charged varies from between £2 - £3 per event to as much as £15. In contrast in recent years the amount given by Catholic parishioners to fund the Church’s communications work, in the form of the special collection taken up on Communications Sunday, amounts to 20 pence per person per year!
If we are to meet the challenge of educating the next generation in the use of the media we must review our priorities, promote what is uplifting and truthful and support the work of our Media Office and pray for those who work in the media that they might create content which is inspired by a vision of human dignity.
Yours devotedly in Christ
Bishop Philip Tartaglia
President, National Communications Commission
My Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
The theme of the Forty-first World Communications Day, "Children and the Media: A Challenge for Education", invites us to reflect on two immensely important topics: the formation of children and the formation of our media.
In setting this theme, the Pope tells us quite rightly that the media profoundly shape the cultural environment he also highlights claims by many that “the formative influence of the media today rivals that of the school, the Church, and maybe even the home”. This is a very challenging reality for Catholic families. The Church constantly upholds, supports and defends the work of our Catholic schools and concerns itself with their staffing, curriculum and mission. Catholic parents across Scotland do the same.
Perhaps however we should focus more attention on the deep and pervasive impact of the media on our young people. An influence, which if unchecked and unrestrained risks undermining the formation in faith we provide them in our homes, schools and parishes. It is not surprising that many parents feel daunted by the prospect of monitoring or moderating their children’s use of the media in a materialistic, secular culture like our own.
Satellite, digital and Internet television and radio, computer games and mobile phones bombard our children with images and messages we feel unable to control. The task of influencing this output and the impact it has on its audience seems truly beyond us. The risks of failing to do so are equally immense. Without training in the proper use of the media we risk jeopardising the cultural, moral and spiritual development of children.
How are we to act? What steps must we take? Above all it is important that we do not turn and run away from the media output that shapes our society. In his message on today’s theme, the Pope does not call on us to escape from or shun the media reality we find ourselves in but rather to be discerning and discriminating consumers. We should look for beauty and truth in programming content and in this search children need to be accompanied and assisted as they interact with the media. In the words of Pope Benedict XVI, “Media education should always be positive. Children exposed to what is aesthetically and morally excellent are helped to develop appreciation, prudence and the skills of discernment.”
Parents can promote the many films, television programmes and music, which are uplifting, inspiring, and informative, they can also lead by example, by ignoring and rejecting material which is coarse and sensational. Learning how to reach for the ‘off’ switch is a skill all children should be taught! We do well to remember that our homes needn’t be filled with images and sounds every hour of every day. Turning off the pre-packaged entertainment allows children to develop their own skills as active communicators rather than passive receivers.
We must also be aware of the pressures and ethical dilemmas faced by those who work in the media and support them when they attempt to uphold the truth, protect human dignity and promote respect for the needs of the family. Our national media office interacts, on our behalf, with the mass media in all its forms every day. Promoting the work of the Church and its teachings, correcting, persuading and cooperating with broadcasters, editors and journalists to promote a Christian vision of humanity to viewers, listeners and readers. We owe them our support in the work they do.
With this in mind I turn to the subject of finance. If we are to meaningfully interact with the media and have an impact on their agenda it is essential that Scottish Catholics fund the work of our Media Office. In recent years many of us have become familiar with the pay-per-view system, which allows viewers to watch a single sporting event or film on payment of a fee of several pounds. The amount charged varies from between £2 - £3 per event to as much as £15. In contrast in recent years the amount given by Catholic parishioners to fund the Church’s communications work, in the form of the special collection taken up on Communications Sunday, amounts to 20 pence per person per year!
If we are to meet the challenge of educating the next generation in the use of the media we must review our priorities, promote what is uplifting and truthful and support the work of our Media Office and pray for those who work in the media that they might create content which is inspired by a vision of human dignity.
Yours devotedly in Christ
Bishop Philip Tartaglia
President, National Communications Commission