杏MAP导航

By Lisa Zengarini

The epochal changes in the media world require a renewed 鈥渃ommitment to the promotion of people's dignity, to justice and truth, to legality and educational co-responsibility鈥�, said 杏MAP导航 Francis speaking to a delegation of Italian Catholic communicators.

Creating bridges, not walls

In an audience on Thursday with a delegation of the national Federation of Catholic Weeklies, of the Italian Periodical Press Union, of the "Corallo" and "Aiart - Cittadini mediali" associations, the 杏MAP导航 reminded them that communication, is essentially 鈥渟haring, weaving threads of communion, creating bridges without raising walls.鈥�

In the context of today's great 鈥渃ommunication highways鈥�, increasingly faster and overloaded with information, 杏MAP导航 Francis,  therefore,  invited those present to always follow three paths.

The path of education

The first path is that of educating which, he said, is vital because 鈥渢he future of society is at stake鈥�. Indeed, education is the way to connect old and young generations who today are immersed in the digital culture.

Educating young people 鈥渢o navigate in today鈥檚 complexity, especially on the web鈥� involves 鈥減rudence and simplicity鈥�, the 杏MAP导航 remarked.  

Promoting an "ecology of communication"

Catholic weeklies play a crucial role in this: 鈥淭hey don鈥檛 just give the news of the moment, but they convey a human and Christian vision aimed at forming minds and hearts鈥�, the 杏MAP导航 noted

He, therefore,  exhorted the Italian communicators to promote an "ecology of communication" in communities, schools and families: 鈥淵ou have the vocation to remind people that beyond the news and scoops, there are always feelings, stories, real people who are to be respected鈥�, he said.

鈥淐ommunicating is educating society鈥� to respect and care, including in affective relationships between men and women,  杏MAP导航 Francis insisted.

The path of protecting the weakest in society

The second path he indicated was that of protecting especially the weakest groups in society, including minors, the elderly and disabled people, 鈥渇rom the invasiveness of digital media and the seductions of provocative and polemical communication.鈥�

He encouraged the Catholic journalists  to continue promoting civic awareness on this issue without fear, remarking that it is a  鈥渜uestion of communicative democracy.鈥�

The path of testimony

Finally, 杏MAP导航 Francis highlighted the path of testimony. He cited the example Blessed Carlo Acutis, who at his young age, he said,  鈥渒new how to use the new communications technology to transmit the Gospel, to communicate values and beauty鈥�.  

Indeed, 鈥淭estimony is prophecy, it is creativity, which frees and pushes us to leave our comfort zones to take risks鈥� and 鈥渇idelity to the Gospel postulates to go against the grain: to talk about fraternity in an individualistic world; of peace in a world at war; of attention to the poor in an impatient and indifferent world.鈥�

杏MAP导航 Francis therefore concluded to by entrusting the Italian communicators鈥� work Blessed Carlo Acutis and  Saint Francis de Sales, the patron saint of Catholic journalists and writers so that they may guide on steps on the paths of formation, protection and testimony.