COMMUNICATE THE GOSPEL WITH CURRENT LANGUAGE AND SENSITIVITY

VATICAN CITY, NOV 9, 2002 (VIS) - At noon today in the Paul VI Hall, the Holy Father received participants in the congress for representatives of the fields of communication and culture, promoted by the Italian Episcopal Conference. During the past days, they have considered the theme, "Communication and culture: new paths for evangelization in the third millennium."

The Pope said that those who work in these fields are called to "read and interpret the current times and to search for ways to communicate the Gospel in the language and sensitivity of contemporary man."

The field of communication needs "people with the gift of faith who know how to interpret current cultural issues, committing themselves to live this era of communication not as a time of alienation and disorientation but as a beautiful time to search for the truth and to develop communion among people and different groups."

John Paul II urged them to fix their gaze on Jesus and to listen to His teachings "so that the proliferation of rooftop antennae ... may be a sign of communication which is growing in the service of man and the integral progress of humanity."

"The testimony of believers," he added, "finds a vast field of expression in the worlds of the media and culture. ... It is the duty of the lay faithful to give an example of professionalism and authentic Christian conscience."

The Pope asked those who work in the media and contribute to culture to be conscious of their responsibilities, "especially to the most defenseless subjects, who are frequently exposed without any guidance to violent programs and to a deformed vision of man, family and life." For this reason, he said, public authorities and associations must ensure that "the media maintain intact their primary purpose of service to people and society."

"The absence of control and vigilance is not a guarantee of liberty, as many would like to make others believe, and it ends rather in indiscriminately promoting the use of extremely powerful instruments which, if used inappropriately, produce disastrous effects in the consciences of people and in the life of society. In a communications system, ever more complex and extensive," he ended, "clear and just guidelines are useful, guidelines that guarantee pluralism, freedom, participation by and respect for users."

AC;COMMUNICATION; CULTURE;...;...;VIS;20021111;Word: 400;