Pope Francis to Avvenire: 'The Gospel is your editorial line'
By Sr Bernadette Mary Reis, fsp
On the Feast of St Joseph the Worker, Pope Francis met with members of the staff of Avvenire and their families. It was 50 years ago in December that the daily newspaper, managed by the Italian Conference of Bishops, was founded.
St Joseph model for communicators
Pope Francis proposed St Joseph as the model for Catholic communicators. He did admit that Joseph might seem to be the 鈥渁ntithesis of the communicator鈥� because he was a 鈥渕an of silence鈥�. The Pope understands that Joseph鈥檚 ability to listen, to entrust himself to God鈥檚 dream, and to get up in the middle of the night allowed him to 鈥渞ealize God鈥檚 promises鈥�.
Joseph: icon of our holy people
Joseph can teach us how to regain a 鈥渟ense of healthy slowness鈥�, and 鈥渢o be open to another鈥檚 words and story鈥�, the Pope continued. Joseph used both his heart and his legs in his obedient response to the dream God had given him. Thus, he 鈥渋s the icon of our holy people who recognize that their point of reference is God, who embraces all of life with a unifying meaning鈥�.
础惫惫别苍颈谤别鈥檚 past
Referring to the paper鈥檚 emergence 50 years ago, Pope Francis reminded the paper鈥檚 present staff that it was not easy for the paper to get off the ground. 鈥淗ow much perplexity and resistance, how much diffidence and contrary opinions sought to halt the will of Paul VI regarding the birth of a daily national Catholic periodical鈥�, he said.
础惫惫别苍颈谤别鈥檚 transformation
The Pope acknowledged the transformations Avvenire has had to undergo as a result of the change in communications technologies. It is precisely in this area that 鈥渢he Church does not want its voice to be lacking鈥�. Faithful to its mission, the Church announces the Gospel of Mercy; and the media offers an enormous potential to contribute to the culture of encounter, he said.
Communicators the Church needs
Pope Francis reminded his audience what Paul VI said of Catholic journalists. They are not called to publish fanfare in order to gain readers, but to do good by listening, and educating readers to think and evaluate. He encouraged his listeners to be tireless in their search for the truth, starting with the habitual reading of the Gospel. 鈥淟et this be the editorial line binding your integrity鈥�. You will then have light in order to discern, and words of truth to explain what is happening so as to call it by name鈥�.
The Pope concluded expressing his desire that 鈥測ou too express a Church which does not look on reality from the outside, or from above, but which gets down into it, mixes with it, inhabits it and鈥攂y virtue of the service you offer鈥攔ouses and expands everyone鈥檚 hope鈥�.
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