In his message marking the 41st World Communications Day, Pope Benedict XVI raises concerns about trends which run counter to the Church’s vision of human dignity, but his words never lose that profound sense of the unique opportunity offered by the present means of social communication.

The message, “Children and the Media: A Challenge for Education”, is an appeal to parents, educators, parishes and persons in the media industry to find ways of grappling with negative influences in the cultural environment.

Documents of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications and messages of World Communications Day, the latter since 1967, have repeatedly conveyed the Church’s belief that the modern means of communication hold powerful promise for society. This year is no exception.

Pope Benedict believes the Church’s vision of human dignity is central to “worthy human communication”. Social communication must become a means that enables humanity to see truly. “Seeing with the eyes of Christ,” says the Pope quoting from his encyclical Deus Caritas Est, “I can give to others much more than their outward necessities; I can give them the look of love which they crave.”

But the document also alludes in various ways to the dangers that are inherent in the rapidly changing media environment. It speaks of the “insatiable quest for novelty” and a competitiveness which can cause communicators to lower standards.

“Any trend to produce programmes and products – including animated films and video games – which in the name of entertainment exalt violence and portray anti-social behaviour or the trivialisation of human sexuality is a perversion, all the more repulsive when these programmes are directed at children and adolescents.”

The Church has always eschewed any notion that new media are by nature a threat to society. It continues to emphasise, however, that there is need for ongoing education and that children must be guided to make healthy choices. This is primarily the responsibility of parents, but it is a task to be shared by parishes and schools.

Witnesses par excellence

The celebration of this special day coincides with the Feast of the Ascension, with its call to followers of Christ to be his witnesses and its promise of the powerful help of the Holy Spirit.

Part of its message is that we must give the Lord freedom to do his work in us and, if we comply, he will do the seemingly impossible through us. “It is not for you to know times or dates that the Father has decided by his own authority, but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and then you will be my witnesses…to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1: 7: 8).

Professional communicators ought to be witnesses par excellence. But they too require “formation”, says the Holy Father. He appeals “to the leaders of the media industry to educate and encourage producers to safeguard the common good, to uphold the truth, to protect individual human dignity and promote respect for the needs of the family”.

It will be difficult for the media industry to do these things consistently without allowing religious faith and imagination to impact its work. There is often a reluctance to allow this on the grounds that such openness runs counter to the demands of the profession. But is that really so?

Pope Benedict’s call is all the more serious and the communicators’ duty pressing because media do shape people’s ideas about right and wrong, about faith and religion, about family life – and life in general.

Today, as we celebrate the feast of the Ascension, we ask God’s blessings on all media practitioners.