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The plenary assembly of the Council of the European Bishops’ Conferences (Ccee) recently ended in Rome. Its theme was: “Vatican Council II and Europe: what indications for Europe?”. The question of communication was also taken into consideration during the meeting. We publish a reflection by Monsignor Peter Henrici, President of Ceem (European Episcopal Commission for the Means of Social Communication) The “culture of the media” is increasingly becoming the culture “tout court” of our time. It poses to the Church the twofold task of evangelising those who live in it and by it, and culture itself, as Paul VI called for in Evangelii nuntiandi. Three observations might be of help here. First, in the culture of the media the role of individuals is enhanced, whether it be the witness of the man in the street or media personalities like John Paul II or Mother Teresa. What’s essential is that the individuals in question be authentic and credible. Second, the culture of the media is a culture of histories. It is therefore essential to rediscover and evaluate the potential of histories and historicity for Christianity. What does this mean for our pastoral ministry and for our liturgical practice? Third, what could be the task of the Ccee and the Ceem in the evangelization of the culture of the media? Already Aetatis novae had underlined the urgent need to formulate pastoral plans for social communications. We should also ask ourselves whether an overall pastoral plan for social communications at the European level would be useful and feasible. Evangelising a culture, moreover, implies opening up in it a space for Christian values. Attempts have always been made to insert some specifically Catholic media in the media scene. But this solution alone is not enough; indeed, if it were the only provision, it would risk creating a Catholic cultural ghetto. So we need to focus attention on the big public media, trying to be present in them and insisting on the safeguard of the “service public”, as Ceem never tires of repeating. This pastoral action presents an important political aspect, but also requires two more properly cultural actions: on the one hand, the critical observation of the media scene and the formation of experts for it, on the other the training of skilled and positively Christian operators to be incorporated in the world of the non-Catholic public and/or private media. At this formative level international cooperation and exchange could be helpful. Here is a task for the Ccee and for the Ceem.
