THE CHURCH’S THE CHURCH’S SOCIAL TEACHINGSOCIAL TEACHING

with regard towith regard to

THE MEDIA OF SOCIAL THE MEDIA OF SOCIAL COMMUNICATIONCOMMUNICATION

**Following on the model of Following on the model of the Church as Communion,the Church as Communion,

and leading into the and leading into the Priorities of the Laity.Priorities of the Laity.

THE CHURCH’S SOCIAL THE CHURCH’S SOCIAL TEACHINGTEACHING

ONONTHE MASS MEDIATHE MASS MEDIA

USE OF MASS MEDIAUSE OF MASS MEDIA

Principles addressed to allPrinciples addressed to all

Responsibility of allResponsibility of all

PRINCIPLESPRINCIPLES

relevant in other fieldsrelevant in other fields

always applicablealways applicable

PRINCIPLESPRINCIPLES

basic to all:basic to all: social teachingsocial teaching

areas of activityareas of activity

MASS MEDIAMASS MEDIA

not condemnednot condemned products of geniusproducts of genius gifts of Godgifts of God positive signs of the timespositive signs of the times

PRINCIPLES OF SOCIAL PRINCIPLES OF SOCIAL COMMUNICATIONCOMMUNICATION

These principles have been These principles have been extracted from two documents:extracted from two documents:

Communio et Progressio Communio et Progressio ((CPCP),), Pastoral Instruction, 23 May 1971.Pastoral Instruction, 23 May 1971.

andand Ethics in Communications Ethics in Communications ((ECEC),), Pontifical Council for Social Communications, 2 June Pontifical Council for Social Communications, 2 June

20002000

These Principles have been These Principles have been derived from:derived from:

WORD OF GODWORD OF GOD NATURE OF THE CHURCHNATURE OF THE CHURCH NATURE OF THE MEDIANATURE OF THE MEDIA POTENTIAL OF THE MEDIAPOTENTIAL OF THE MEDIA SOCIAL ETHICSSOCIAL ETHICS EFFECTS OF THE MEDIA ONEFFECTS OF THE MEDIA ON

CIVIL SOCIETYCIVIL SOCIETY

THE WORD OF GODTHE WORD OF GOD.

1. The communion between the three 1. The communion between the three divine Persons is the source of unity divine Persons is the source of unity and brotherhood.and brotherhood.

2. God took the initiative to 2. God took the initiative to communicate himself to us.communicate himself to us.

3. Communication is the giving of self 3. Communication is the giving of self in love.in love.

4. God the Son is the perfect 4. God the Son is the perfect communicator through his communicator through his Incarnation.Incarnation.

THE WORD OF GODTHE WORD OF GOD 5. Jesus Christ shared the truth and life 5. Jesus Christ shared the truth and life

of God with all.of God with all.

6. The Eucharist is the most intimate 6. The Eucharist is the most intimate form of communion possible.form of communion possible.

7. Jesus Christ communicated the Holy 7. Jesus Christ communicated the Holy Spirit who brings all together in unity.Spirit who brings all together in unity.

8. Communication is a moral act.8. Communication is a moral act.

THE NATURE OF THE CHURCHTHE NATURE OF THE CHURCH.

1. The Church, as the 1. The Church, as the People of God, promotes People of God, promotes unity.unity.

2. Upholds the dignity 2. Upholds the dignity and rights of the person.and rights of the person.

3. Fosters the solidarity 3. Fosters the solidarity of the human community.of the human community.

THE NATURE OF THE CHURCHTHE NATURE OF THE CHURCH

.. 4. Has a mission to the 4. Has a mission to the various fields of human various fields of human endeavour.endeavour.

5. Seeks dialogue and 5. Seeks dialogue and collaboration.collaboration.

THE NATURE OF THE MEDIATHE NATURE OF THE MEDIA

1. Gifts of God to unite people 1. Gifts of God to unite people and help them cooperate in God's and help them cooperate in God's plan of salvation.plan of salvation.

2. Effective means for cultivating 2. Effective means for cultivating charity among people.charity among people.

3. Beneficial in promoting 3. Beneficial in promoting understanding and sympathy.understanding and sympathy.

THE POTENTIAL OF THE MEDIATHE POTENTIAL OF THE MEDIA

1. Encourage social 1. Encourage social relations.relations.

2. Contribute to unity, 2. Contribute to unity, brotherhood and the brotherhood and the advancement of people.advancement of people.

THE POTENTIAL OF THE MEDIATHE POTENTIAL OF THE MEDIA

3. Improve the conditions 3. Improve the conditions of human living.of human living.

4. Cooperate in God's 4. Cooperate in God's work of creation and work of creation and conservation.conservation.

SOCIAL ETHICSSOCIAL ETHICS

1. Communication must 1. Communication must be truthful.be truthful.

2. Media news, culture 2. Media news, culture and entertainment to and entertainment to meet the needs of society.meet the needs of society.

3. Related to structural 3. Related to structural and systemic social issues.and systemic social issues.

SOCIAL ETHICSSOCIAL ETHICS

4. The person and the 4. The person and the communitycommunity are the are the measure of the use of the measure of the use of the media.media.

5. Economic and political 5. Economic and political implications.implications.

6. The media must 6. The media must develop the person fully.develop the person fully.

THE EFFECTS OF THE MEDIA THE EFFECTS OF THE MEDIA ON CIVIL SOCIETYON CIVIL SOCIETY

1. Indispensable for the 1. Indispensable for the functioning of modern functioning of modern society.society.

2. Help share knowledge 2. Help share knowledge and unify our creative and unify our creative work in building the work in building the earthly city.earthly city.

THE EFFECTS OF THE MEDIA THE EFFECTS OF THE MEDIA ON CIVIL SOCIETYON CIVIL SOCIETY

3. Multiply contacts within 3. Multiply contacts within society and deepen social society and deepen social consciousness.consciousness.

*

THE DUTIES AND THE DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES RESPONSIBILITIES

OF CHRISTIANSOF CHRISTIANS

DUTIESDUTIES 1. Work together to 1. Work together to

ensure that the media ensure that the media contribute to the contribute to the brotherhood of man brotherhood of man under the fatherhood of under the fatherhood of God.God.

2. Exercise free choice in 2. Exercise free choice in the use of the media.the use of the media.

* * RESPONSIBILITIES RESPONSIBILITIES 3. Judge the media by the 3. Judge the media by the

contribution they make to contribution they make to the common good.the common good.

4. Develop a proper 4. Develop a proper understanding of man and understanding of man and our dignity as members of our dignity as members of the family of adopted the family of adopted children of God.children of God.

COMMUNICATORSCOMMUNICATORS 1. Come to understand 1. Come to understand

their vocation and their vocation and mission.mission.

2. Conscience-bound to 2. Conscience-bound to make themselves make themselves competent.competent.

3. Comply with 3. Comply with requirements of sincerity, requirements of sincerity, honesty and truthfulness.honesty and truthfulness.

RECIPIENTSRECIPIENTS

1. Learn how to interpret 1. Learn how to interpret the messages of the the messages of the media accurately.media accurately.

2. Benefit from them and 2. Benefit from them and contribute to life in contribute to life in society.society.

RECIPIENTSRECIPIENTS

3. Reflection, discussion 3. Reflection, discussion and dialogue are needed.and dialogue are needed.

4. Jesus is the model and 4. Jesus is the model and the standard of our the standard of our communicating.communicating.