Zagreb, (IKA) – The President of the Croatian Conference of Bishops, Archbishop Marin Srakić of Đakovo-Osijek; the Vice President of the CCB, Archbishop Josip Cardinal Bozanić of Zagreb; and the President of the CCB Council for the Mass Media, Archbishop Ivan Devčić of Rijeka, met with chief editors from the Croatian media on Thursday, May 12, at the Secretariat of the CCB in Zagreb.

Archbishop Srakić thanked the editors for responding to their invitation and said that the Church recognizes the significance of the media and their indispensable role in connecting people, public opinion and the distribution of information. This is is manifested every year in various ways, particularly in the Pope’s messages on World Communications Day. “I especially appreciate the work and effort you invest in the profession of journalism. I would like this always to be on the path of respect for the truth, human dignity and the general good,” said Archbishop Srakić, and urged the editors to contribute to the success of the forthcoming visit by Pope Benedict XVI. “We want to do everything to welcome the Pope with open hearts and as good hosts. In this, your help is of particular importance. Therefore, I request and invite you to give media coverage to information in connection with the Pope’s visit,” said Archbishop Srakić in his welcoming remarks to the editors and journalists.

Then Ivica Šola of the University of Osijek spoke about the Pope and communications. He noted that when Benedict XVI was elected Pope, many criticisms could be heard because it was anticipated that as the successor of Pope John Paul II, who had frequently been in the media, the new Pope would be reticent. Thus, a type “Wojtyla complex” was existed. However, earlier popes had also been open to the media. For example, Pope Pius IX was the first pope who allowed himself to be photographed, Pope Pius XII established Radio Vatican and Pope Paul VI was a man of television, said Ivica Šola. He notd that Pope Benedict XVI went a step further than his predecessor and was the first pope to grant a television interview. Therefore, when speaking about the relationship between Pope Benedict XVI and the media, it can be said that there is continuity. Šola mentioned a problem regarding the appearances of the Pope in the media in comparison to those of other public figures. The Pope is an office, not a “personality.” Thus, the media should not become an end unto itself, said Šola. In order to understand Pope Benedict XVI’s attitude toward the media, it is necessary to be acquainted with his theology, said Šola, and accordingly emphasized that Pope Benedict XVI has been consistent in proclaiming that Christianity is the Truth and that the Pope is the servant of the Truth. As a communicator, Pope Benedict XVI is not bombastic but has a reticent personality, in order to leave room for the Truth. Šola also recalled that when the Pope was first chosen, he immediately received journalists and thanked them for covering the events connected with his predecessor, as well as the selection of the new Pope. Therefore, we definitely cannot say that the Pope is closed toward the media, said Šola, and in conclusion mentioned several tendencies that Benedict XVI has stressed as dangers that prevail in the media, such as media control, exclusivity, invisibility and commercialization. He also pointed out several situations in which the Pope had been wrongly presented, owing to the media.

Messages issued by Pope Benedict XVI on World Communications Day were presented by Dr. Stjepan Malović of the University of Zadar. He recalled the titles of the messages since 2006: “The Media: A Network for Communication, Communion and Cooperation” (2006), “Children and the Media: A Challenge for Education (2007), “The Media: At the Crossroads between Self-Promotion and Service, Searching for the Truth in Order to Share It with Others” (2008), “New Technologies, New Relationships. Promoting a Culture of Respect, Dialogue and Friendship” (2009) and “The Priest and Pastoral Ministry in a Digital World: New Media at the Service of the Word” (2010). This year’s
message, entitled “Truth, Proclamation and Authenticity of Life in the Digital Age,” is an appeal for profound transformation. It is an appeal to all who participate in the media world and who are responsible for genuine communication, for which courage and decisiveness are required. Messages leave room for thought and reflection. Owing to this way of transmitting information and knowledge, there is a new way of understanding with unprecedented opportunities for establishing and building community. Discussing the messages, Malović noted the importance of ethics and cautioned that the Pope has introduced the concept of “info-ethics.”
In the subsequent discussion, the question of the “silence” of the Church was posed. Cardinal Bozanić pointed out that Church leaders regularly communicate with the public, noting that a Sunday homily is a form of communication and the bishops also speak on various occasions. However, it is a question how much media space this receives.
Archbishop Devčić added that the Church does not react to incidents, as the media do. When the Church goes public, it is concerned with authenticity and verification. For example, the Church focuses on sin and speaks more about sin than about the sinner, because there is always the issue of protecting the dignity of each person.
Cardinal Bozanić said that greater dialogue is also needed within the Church but also within society because it is dialogue that makes the exchange of opinions possible.