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The workshop has been organised by the CBCI Commission for Social Communications in collaboration with Tej Prasarini Communications Centre of Mumbai. "Christian leaders and communicators need to share the Gospel values, so that they mould the society for a fuller and harmonious life," he added. Recalling the message of Blessed Pope John Paul II for World Communications Day, 1990, Cardinal Gracias declared, "It was for God`s faithful people to make creative use of the new discoveries and technologies for the benefit of humanity and the fulfilment of God`s plan for the world.... employing the full potential of the ‘computer age’ to serve the human and transcendent vocation of every person."
Inviting the Bishops and communicators to benefit from the communications revolution in India, Cardinal Gracias said, "Last week, the media carried the news that mobile phone users grew by 83 million during the last 12 months alone! It indicates the extent of communications revolution spreading in India. Even primary school kids use cell phones and computers today. Some farmers in the remote villages and fishermen in deep seas, access Internet for Information."
Lauding the contribution of media in the words of Pope Benedict XVI, Cardinal Gracias said, "There is no denying the contribution they can make to the diffusion of news, to knowledge of facts and to the dissemination of information: they have played a decisive part, for example, in the spread of literacy and in socialization, as well as the development of democracy and dialogue among peoples." "The Church cannot afford to stand aloof or try to isolate herself from the mainstream of these events," added Cardinal Gracias, and urged that that Christian leaders and communicators to "understand and interpret" modern progress "in the light of faith."
Drawing the attention to some of the important challenges before the Christian communicators, Cardinal Gracias, who is also the President of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI), in the words of Pope Benedict XVI said, "Media can and must contribute to making known the truth about humanity, and defending it against those who tend to deny or destroy it. One might even say that seeking and presenting the truth about humanity constitutes the highest vocation of social communication."
Quoting Pope Benedict XVI’s message for World Communications Day 2008, Cardinal Gracias cautioned, "The media must avoid becoming spokesmen for economic materialism and ethical relativism." Also, "communication should lead to communion of all people, which means the media should foster a culture of dialogue, both locally and globally," he added. He also urged leaders and communicators "to tone up communication at various levels in the Church, and join the other initiatives for introduction of E-governance in the Church and contribute our share to the emerging knowledge based Indian society."
Published 06/03/2008
