President of Pontifical Council for Social Communications urges use of Media to proclaim "Good News" stories

(Tues.06 March, 2007):- While opening the plenary assembly of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications March 5, the dicastery's president, Archbishop John Foley, proposed a look at how well the Church is getting its message across. “ It's time for an examination of conscience regarding the use of communications media”, the Archbishop said in his homily at the opening Mass of the Plenary Assembly. "Those who seek to sell products have used the communications media very successfully to sell soap, automobiles and clothing, while we -- who have the responsibility to proclaim the most important message in the history of the human race -- have often lacked the imagination and the dedication, to use the media well in making known the good news of Jesus Christ. "Certainly it is necessary to identify the evils in society and to warn people against them, but our major effort should be in proclaiming the knowledge and love of our merciful Savior, Jesus Christ, and the good which is done in the world in his name. "How many 'good news' stories there are, which are never reported, often because we do not make them known", said Archbishop Foley. Almost everybody already knows that the Catholic Church -- reflecting the teaching of Christ -- does not approve of sexual activity outside of marriage, whether that activity be heterosexual or homosexual -- but how many know about the many residences and services for pregnant and unmarried women, for children without parents, or for victims of AIDS provided by the Church throughout the world in the name of Christ ? Use the communications media to make known the message of our merciful and loving Savior," urged Archbishop Foley.