It is so nice to see a world which everybody worked together with the Church ensuring that media may contribute to the pursuit of truth and evangelization. It is also pleasant to hear that media industries foster quick spread of evangelization of the Gospel throughout the world. These are my personal insights as I pondered Giovanni Montini’s (Pope Paul VI) Communio et Progressio. The Communio et Progressio manifest Church’s total concern regarding media. I am fascinated on Montini’s definition of Communication in connection with media, i.e. the giving of self through love. Communication is one of the important mechanisms of media in order to work and give meaning to Man’s existence. Without this mechanism, it is possible to see a world in chaos; people misunderstand each other which is possible for the destruction of the humanity. Through communications, we connect our thoughts, our opinions and even our whole self to others and to the world which is so evident today. Media gives a corresponding agreement to Man’s freewill. Media dictates what Man must do in order to improve his life and Man acts according to the dictation of media to him. This thing is what the Church working upon in order that Man must not lead into a trap as media dictates his freewill. The Church is very emphatic in saying that there should be a proper guidance to Man as media dictates his freewill either it is raison d’être his orientation to things or the raison d’être his existence.
Going back to the definition of Montini on Communication, Montini tells something that everyone should take part on the development of peoples through self-giving. Christ revealed himself through preaching, teaching, healing and dying o the cross which are the corner stone of total self-giving to others and a real form of communication to men’s eyes, ears and heart. This is what makes Communication and self-giving complements to one another; without communication, self-giving cannot be fully revealed to men and cannot be put into practice, without self-giving, communication is just only a facet.
One thing that I have noticed in the word “Communication” is its origin. The word “Communication” is originated on the word “Communion” which is considered a stairway to unity of people in order to attain progress and development with their existence. Progress cannot be truly attained if there is no communion of men. Progress could never be evident if the media of communication manifests disunity with the Church’s ultimate concern which is the pursuit of the holiness to the people of God. Progress could never be visible if media lead men into chaos and violence which must be avoided. Media is something that we ponder upon in order to be in communion with the ultimate concern of the Church and with God whom revealed himself through communication.
