When I was still a junior Sister and taking up theology I was fortunate enough to attend a class on narrative theology given by Fr. Denis McBride, a visiting Redemptorist priest based in England. I had no idea if he was already writing then, but Fr. McBride is now the author of four books on Scripture and Homiletics. I could not forget this short but enriching experience of being in his class because of the effect he had on us and on me personally. The course being narrative theology was full of storytelling. He shared with us stories drawn from the gospels and life experiences. Boy, was he a great storyteller! He literally held us captive by the way he told his stories.
Why do stories fascinate us? (I am speaking here of uplifting stories, the kind where we could draw upon some lessons on life.) For the simple reason that it tells a lot about us, the people we live with and society in general. Stories mirror our life experiences. They are not just mere ideas. They have flesh and bones. That’s precisely the reason when we sometimes cry or laugh over some silly but touching stories.
Catherine de Hueck Doherty, a well-known author and an engaging storyteller to boot used to say, “stories are very powerful in helping us understand and remember deep truths about life.”
The following account was one of the many stories, which Doherty wrote in her book Not Without Parables.
Katzia (polish name for Catherine) was a thin and awkward looking girl. She washed dishes in some third-rate restaurant as her means of living. She came to Friendship House (Doherty’s Drop-in Center) when she lost her job and was hungry. She stayed there for sometime, silently doing all the menial tasks of cleaning and scrubbing the floor even without being asked or told. Then, one day, she found a job and moved away.
Monday was her day off, and she usually spent it at Friendship House, helping around. She was usually silent, except for a word or two or a fleeting smile.
One day at Friendship House she met another girl, about 20 years old, thin and sick and had been a prostitute. Katzia took the girl to her place, a small room that she has been renting for herself.
Katzia did not come back to Friendship House for several weeks after that. Doherty tried to locate her but couldn’t. A few months later, Catherine received a letter from the director of a sanatorium. It was a dictated letter, signed by Katzia. She said that she was a patient there along with the girl she had tried to help.
Doherty and her staff visited Katzia in the hospital. They learned that Katzia contracted TB through the other girl. Both were very, very ill. A year later Katzia died and the thin girl got better. She has been working ever since, without pay, in the convent of some poor nuns. “Greater love has no man...”
A short story about a “little” person with a great and loving heart.
Of course, we may be surrounded with great storytellers both gifted and not but there is one whose greatness in storytelling cannot be surpassed. Jesus, the Master Teacher, taught his people in parables that they could understand and apply in their lives. He told the most unforgettable stories in the world. He is the master storyteller of all!
Sunday, May 30, 1999
Monday, May 17, 1999
Media as Friendly Companion
In this era of information technology, the possibility of communicating quickly and effectively to any part of the globe has never been greater. And yet, we are also aware of the fact that these modern instruments of communication can alienate us and draw us away from the truth if not used responsibly.
The Holy Father in his message for the 33rd World Communications Day speaks of media as a “friendly companion for those in search of the Father.” He expounds on the relationship between the Church and media and how these two institutions can work side by side, complementing one another to help bring people closer to the truth. He emphasizes the role media can play in becoming an instrument, and to be more precise, a friendly guide “to those searching for God’s loving presence in their lives.”
Perhaps the cynics among us will ask how can media be a friendly guide to us when all we encounter in media are bold movies, gossip and scandal, television “infotainment”, bloody videos, news of crime and violence? These realities all the more hit us right between the eyes when we learn of war freak personalities and sex offenders among our youth today whose attitudes apparently are influenced by the negative use of media.
Here we see the need for a closer cooperation between Church and media for both to be able to serve better the people of our time. The Holy Father speaks on how the Church’s culture can complement the media culture and vice versa. He beautifully summarizes this point by saying: “The Church’s culture of remembrance can save the media culture of transitory “news” from becoming a forgetfulness which corrodes hope; and the media can help the Church to proclaim the Gospel in all its enduring freshness in the everyday reality of people’s lives. The Church’s culture of wisdom can save the media culture of information from becoming a meaningless accumulation of facts, and the media can help the Church’s wisdom to remain alert to the array of new knowledge now emerging. The Church’s culture of joy can save the media culture of entertainment from becoming a soulless fight from truth and responsibility; and the media can help the Church to understand better how to communicate with people in a way that appeals and even delights.”
Today’s contemporary culture is enmeshed in the transitory allurements of media. The promise of youth, of instant gratification, of power and money are among the many “come-ons” media offer us. However, the media have also a great responsibility to witness to the truth, to speak about freedom and justice and to uphold human dignity. In this it can truly be a friendly companion to all of us in our search for meaning and truth as we journey together going back to the Father.
The Holy Father in his message for the 33rd World Communications Day speaks of media as a “friendly companion for those in search of the Father.” He expounds on the relationship between the Church and media and how these two institutions can work side by side, complementing one another to help bring people closer to the truth. He emphasizes the role media can play in becoming an instrument, and to be more precise, a friendly guide “to those searching for God’s loving presence in their lives.”
Perhaps the cynics among us will ask how can media be a friendly guide to us when all we encounter in media are bold movies, gossip and scandal, television “infotainment”, bloody videos, news of crime and violence? These realities all the more hit us right between the eyes when we learn of war freak personalities and sex offenders among our youth today whose attitudes apparently are influenced by the negative use of media.
Here we see the need for a closer cooperation between Church and media for both to be able to serve better the people of our time. The Holy Father speaks on how the Church’s culture can complement the media culture and vice versa. He beautifully summarizes this point by saying: “The Church’s culture of remembrance can save the media culture of transitory “news” from becoming a forgetfulness which corrodes hope; and the media can help the Church to proclaim the Gospel in all its enduring freshness in the everyday reality of people’s lives. The Church’s culture of wisdom can save the media culture of information from becoming a meaningless accumulation of facts, and the media can help the Church’s wisdom to remain alert to the array of new knowledge now emerging. The Church’s culture of joy can save the media culture of entertainment from becoming a soulless fight from truth and responsibility; and the media can help the Church to understand better how to communicate with people in a way that appeals and even delights.”
Today’s contemporary culture is enmeshed in the transitory allurements of media. The promise of youth, of instant gratification, of power and money are among the many “come-ons” media offer us. However, the media have also a great responsibility to witness to the truth, to speak about freedom and justice and to uphold human dignity. In this it can truly be a friendly companion to all of us in our search for meaning and truth as we journey together going back to the Father.
Sunday, May 2, 1999
The Extended Family Member
There was a time when I got hooked up on television. I would spend hours late into the night watching my favorite programs or anything that caught my interest. Understandably, I would get up the following morning looking like a zombie, bleary-eyed and feeling stupid.
Marshal Mcluhan (a Canadian expert on communication, who coined the famous phrase the medium is the message and the medium is the massage) stipulated in his studies that too much exposure to television produces a numbing effect on viewers. This is partly caused by the radiation that is being absorbed by the body as the person stayed for long hours before the boob tube. Television, being a sensorial medium affects all our senses. This is practically what Mcluhan meant when he said the medium is the massage. When he invented this phrase, he was talking of the influence of television in people’s lives. Indeed, too much exposure to this medium can lead and “massage” us into an unreflective use and undiscriminating cultural consumption.
Mcluhan was very prophetic when he made this observation many years ago. Nowadays, nobody can underestimate the power of television and the preeminent role it holds in almost every family. During the festival of conferences on God the Father in Manila last January, Fr. Arevalo, SJ, mentioned in his talk about this interesting survey made among high school students in the United States sometime ago. One of the questions asked was “if you had to lose your TV set or your father, what would you rather lose?” About 65% answered father, because according to them, their fathers spend only few hours with them, whereas the television is with them six hours a day.
It is a reality that is most households communication breaks down because of little interaction among family members. This problem is heightened by the fact that one or both parents have little time for their kids. In most cases, it is the television that acts as surrogate parents to the children, an extended family member that is always ready to entertain and fill up the time.
Even if parents are around, still the television holds a primary role in family affairs.
One student of mine shares that before television came to their home, family meals were always something to look forward to, animated as it were with sharing of experiences from school and work. When the television arrived, the sharing stopped and meals were no longer taken together because everybody was busy watching either the news or a favorite TV program.
A friend told me about this lady who could not be disturbed while viewing her favorite soap opera Esperanza. The son complains that he cannot talk to his mother even of important matters at this particular time because she will get angry if ever she is interrupted from viewing her favorite program.
I find it quite admirable for parents who can instill among their children the necessary discipline in the use of media. I had these friends (a lovely couple with seven children) way back in Australia who chose not to have television in their home. They had all the necessary amenities except this. The couple thought television would only create distraction in their family life. They encouraged the children to read and pursue their interest in sports and arts. True enough, the children excelled in their studies and developed their talents in both sports and the arts.
The undisciplined use of media especially in television can be habit forming. We may not be aware of it but it can happen that we are already in the stage of addiction. Critical awareness will help. We can step back and ask ourselves: Why do we switch on the television? Just to kill the time or to get informed? Why do we view this particular program? What do we get out of it?
An honest question will always yield a truthful and enlightening answer.
Marshal Mcluhan (a Canadian expert on communication, who coined the famous phrase the medium is the message and the medium is the massage) stipulated in his studies that too much exposure to television produces a numbing effect on viewers. This is partly caused by the radiation that is being absorbed by the body as the person stayed for long hours before the boob tube. Television, being a sensorial medium affects all our senses. This is practically what Mcluhan meant when he said the medium is the massage. When he invented this phrase, he was talking of the influence of television in people’s lives. Indeed, too much exposure to this medium can lead and “massage” us into an unreflective use and undiscriminating cultural consumption.
Mcluhan was very prophetic when he made this observation many years ago. Nowadays, nobody can underestimate the power of television and the preeminent role it holds in almost every family. During the festival of conferences on God the Father in Manila last January, Fr. Arevalo, SJ, mentioned in his talk about this interesting survey made among high school students in the United States sometime ago. One of the questions asked was “if you had to lose your TV set or your father, what would you rather lose?” About 65% answered father, because according to them, their fathers spend only few hours with them, whereas the television is with them six hours a day.
It is a reality that is most households communication breaks down because of little interaction among family members. This problem is heightened by the fact that one or both parents have little time for their kids. In most cases, it is the television that acts as surrogate parents to the children, an extended family member that is always ready to entertain and fill up the time.
Even if parents are around, still the television holds a primary role in family affairs.
One student of mine shares that before television came to their home, family meals were always something to look forward to, animated as it were with sharing of experiences from school and work. When the television arrived, the sharing stopped and meals were no longer taken together because everybody was busy watching either the news or a favorite TV program.
A friend told me about this lady who could not be disturbed while viewing her favorite soap opera Esperanza. The son complains that he cannot talk to his mother even of important matters at this particular time because she will get angry if ever she is interrupted from viewing her favorite program.
I find it quite admirable for parents who can instill among their children the necessary discipline in the use of media. I had these friends (a lovely couple with seven children) way back in Australia who chose not to have television in their home. They had all the necessary amenities except this. The couple thought television would only create distraction in their family life. They encouraged the children to read and pursue their interest in sports and arts. True enough, the children excelled in their studies and developed their talents in both sports and the arts.
The undisciplined use of media especially in television can be habit forming. We may not be aware of it but it can happen that we are already in the stage of addiction. Critical awareness will help. We can step back and ask ourselves: Why do we switch on the television? Just to kill the time or to get informed? Why do we view this particular program? What do we get out of it?
An honest question will always yield a truthful and enlightening answer.
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