Pope Benedict urges media to help form better children
Pope Benedict XVI has called on the media to be positive in its communication to help in the formation of better children around the world.
The papal message, issued for the observance of the 41st World Communications Day today, noted that commercial competitiveness has compelled communicators to lower their standards.
People working in the media or in communications are confronted with special psychological pressures and ethical dilemmas, the Pope said.
He said this has been evident in the trend of producing programmes and products, which have been done in the guise of entertainment.
The Pope’s message, as published in today’s issue of Bag-ong Lungsoranon-the official publication of the Cebu Archdiocese, said that exalting violence, portraying anti-social behavior and trivializing human sexuality are acts of perversion.
In today’s issue of “Bag-ong Lungsoranon”, the official publication of the Cebu Archdiocese, the Pope’s message centered on two related and equally important topics; the formation of children and the formation of media.
Media education requires formation in the exercise of the freedom which is a demanding task but the media has presented freedom as a relentless search for pleasure or new experiences, said Pope Benedict XVI.
The Pope warned that these kinds of program become repulsive when directed at children and adolescents. “Training in the proper use of media is essential for the cultural, moral and spiritual development of children,” he said.
The Pope’s message, which focused on the formation of media vis-à-vis the formation of children, said, “The temptation to sensationalize should not be passively accepted in places of learning.”
The media has a more formative influence over children than that of the school, the Church and the home, he said, adding that the parents should thus intervene.
The role of the parents, the Pope said, is of primary importance because they have the right and duty to ensure prudent use of the media.
He said parents must mold the conscience of their children so as to guide and enable them to have sound and objective judgments in choosing or rejecting media programs.
Schools and parishes should also help in encouraging parents to be responsible in shaping up their children’s responsible response to what the media has been feeding them, the Pope said.
The first World Communications Day was celebrated on
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