Media Need More Praise, Says Vatican Official

I was so very pleased to read this article from www.zenit.org today and I look forward to reading Archbishop Foley's complete remarks.

Archbishop Foley's ideas emerge from the consistent teaching of the Church since the 1930's when the media (those then in existence) were considered gifts of God. Vatican Council II reaffirmed this with the document Inter Mirifica - which always ends up at the bottom of the list of Council documents, even though it was released first.

Our former superior general, Sister Giovannamaria Carrara, FSP, is taking part in this meeting at the Vatican, as is Fr. Peter Malone, MSH, co-author with me of the Lights, Camera...Faith! A Movie Lectionary Series (Pauline Books &Media) and our newest book, Lights, Camera...Faith! The Ten Commandments, just released by Pauline Books & Media, www.pauline.org.)

R

Media Need More Praise, Says Vatican Official
Archbishop Foley Calls for Less Criticism of Communicators

VATICAN CITY, MARCH 13, 2006 (Zenit.org).- A Vatican official says people in the media should be praised more and criticized less by the Church.

Archbishop John Foley, president of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, made that appeal as he marked the opening of the dicastery's plenary assembly.

He delivered his message during the homily of a Mass concelebrated in the chapel of the Domus Sanctae Marthae, the Vatican guesthouse.

In his homily the U.S.-born archbishop commented on a Gospel passage, Luke 6:36-37, when Jesus told his disciples: "Stop judging and you will not be judged. Stop condemning and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven."

"As many of us know all too well," Archbishop Foley said, "the communications community has often expected and too often received from the Church more condemnation than commendation, more negative criticism than positive affirmation."

"The fact that the Church has often been correct in its criticisms has not diminished their sting," he observed. "The fact that many good productions have gone unrecognized has intensified the hurt from the criticisms."

Light of Christ

About 60 participants, including members and consultors of the pontifical council, are attending the plenary assembly at the Vatican.

Archbishop Foley, 70, quoted one of the patrons of communications, St. Francis of Sales, who said: "You can catch more flies with a spoonful of honey than with a barrel of vinegar."

"Let us continue not so much to curse the darkness as to offer the light of Christ through the communications media to those searching for purpose in life and love -- because 'Deus Caritas Est,' God is love," said Archbishop Foley.

Among the main objectives of the plenary assembly, which ends Saturday, is to study the reception and implementation of Pope John Paul II's last apostolic letter, "The Rapid Development."


ZE06031305