‘Proclaiming Christ in the Media’

“Proclaiming Christ in the media at the dawn of the new millennium” is the theme of the Holy Father’s message in this year’s celebration of World Communications Day. In his message, the Pope invites communicators “to look ahead to the challenges we face” while at the same time look back for guidance and learn from what had been done since the beginning of Christianity. Indeed, the method and ways of proclamation may have changed through the years but the essence of the message remains the same. God loves us. God has shown this love for us by sending his Son Jesus to die on the cross. He has risen from the dead, and he is very much present in our daily lives.

The Church always celebrates World Communications Day on Ascension Sunday, which is indeed fitting because the Gospel reading on Ascension Sunday speaks of proclamation. Jesus sends forth his apostles to “go into the whole world and proclaim the Good News to all creation.” In this year of the jubilee, the celebration is double because it is not only World Communications Day but also a day of jubilee for Journalists and People in Communication. Those who work in Communications media (whether religious or secular media) are enjoined to celebrate this day with solemnity and greater awareness of the grave responsibility they have before the Church and society.

In his message, the Holy Father underscores the responsibility of the secular media in the production of programs that uplift the dignity of the person and “call attention to basic human needs, to justice and the plight of the poor.” By doing so, the Pope acknowledges the participation of the secular media in the work of proclamation albeit in an implicit way.

Communication media have never been so vital in the life of people as it is now. The society we lived in and the people we minister with are deeply immersed in a culture that is highly mass mediated. Communication has indeed become a revolution, bringing so much changes and developments that have become a part of our life and of the world we lived in. With so many electronic gadgets at our disposal, communication has never become so easy and quick.

Nowadays, no one can profess ignorance on what is going on around the world. Satellite communications, cable television and Internet, among other things, provide for us the facility to communicate quickly and to become aware of what is happening in every nook of the earth.

The modern means of communication has remained a constant challenge to the Church. Although these modern means are being used in the proclamation of the Good News, still we (who work in the Church) have a lot of catching up to do regarding the use of media in evangelization. Catholic Communicators also need to learn to become more creative in the use of media in their proclamation. The possibilities are enormous but many of us have yet to discover how to integrate the modern means with the traditional way of preaching.