The Church Communication and Mass Media

The advent of mass media has changed the way the world communicates radically and dramatically. Distance becomes a thing of the past. The world in a push of a button virtually became one village, nearer and closer. For the Church, this change has been beneficial and effective in bringing the gospel message to the world.

Pope Benedict XVI during the 44th World Communications Day urged priests to be present in the world of digital communications and to put the media ever more effectively at the service of the Word, evangelization and catechesis. The church through mass media collaboration created a special and different form of presence in the secular world. The church like in the words of St. Augustine is “ever ancient, ever new” especially with the new technology at her disposal. Without compromising her unchangeable faith and morals, the church can now catch up with the phase and demands of the modern time making her relevant to modern man.

The church is a missionary by nature and her mission is to communicate the person of Christ through faith, hope and love. The far-reaching capability of mass media has helped enormously in carrying this work of the church. The mass media enables the church to reach where the pulpit and missionaries cannot go even by their best efforts. Catholic radio program, for instance, proved helpful in understanding and kindling the faith of million listeners worldwide. Televised and on-air Sunday masses and gospel reflections become sources of spiritual nourishment especially to the old and the sick who cannot go to church anymore to physically participate in the mass. This makes the church more available to and reachable by people anywhere and anytime. By reaching far and wide, the church becomes more true to her name, Catholic, a church that embraces all, reaches all, and for all.

The advent of the mass media changed the way the world communicates radically but the presence of the church in mass media changed the way the world communicates for the better, forever.