Some salient points on Pope’s message for World Communications Day

Nuggets from Pope Francis message for 2023 World Day of Social Communications

By Padre Mike Umoh

Theme: Speaking with the heart: “The truth in love” (Eph 4:15)

Introduction

Communications Week, as approved by the Conference of Catholic Bishops in Nigeria (CBCN) begins from Sunday 14 May and ends on Sunday 21 May 2023. It is to be celebrated in all parishes throughout Nigeria.

For 57 years consecutively, successive Popes have maintained the tradition of releasing a message annually towards celebration of the World Communications Day. The document is always based on a theme chosen by the Holy Father for each year. The theme always relates to the power or influence of the media or the tools of social communications on the human person and his society; or how the Church is expected to take advantage of the rapidly growing media revolution for the advancement of her Christ-given mission.

In view of the above, for this year 2023, Pope Francis has chosen as theme for our reflection, “Speaking with the heart, the truth in love”. His message was released to the general public on 24 January, 2023.

Find here, 24 nuggets capturing some of the highpoints of the impressive document. For those who may not be able to read through the entire document, these nuggets could give a sufficient insight into the crux of the Pope’s message, which is a follow up to the messages of the past two years. Please enjoy it and share with others.

1. It is the heart that spurred us to go, to see and to listen, and it is the heart that moves us towards an open and welcoming way of communicating.
2. After listening to the other with a pure heart, we will also be able to speak following the truth in love (cf. Eph 4:15).
3. The miracle of encounter can take place, which makes us look at one another with compassion, welcoming our mutual frailties with respect rather than judging by hearsay and sowing discord and division.
4. In order to communicate truth with charity, it is necessary to purify one’s heart.
5. The call to speak with the heart radically challenges the times in which we are living, which are so inclined towards indifference and indignation, at times even on the basis of disinformation which falsifies and exploits the truth.
6. Communicating in a cordial manner means that those who read or listen to us are led to welcome our participation in the joys, fears, hopes and suffering of the women and men of our time.
7. In a historical period marked by polarizations and contrasts — to which unfortunately not even the ecclesial community is immune — the commitment to communicating “with open heart and arms” does not pertain exclusively to those in the field of communications; it is everyone’s responsibility.
8. We are all called to seek and to speak the truth and to do so with charity.
9. Sometimes friendly conversations can open a breach even in the most hardened of hearts.
10. Francis de Sales’ meek attitude, humanity and willingness to dialogue patiently with everyone, especially with those who disagreed with him, made him an extraordinary witness of God’s merciful love.
11. One could say about him (Francis de Sales): “A pleasant voice multiplies friends, and a gracious tongue multiplies courtesies” ( Sir 6:5).
12. Communication should never be reduced to something artificial, to a marketing strategy, as we might say nowadays, but is rather a reflection of the soul, the visible surface of a nucleus of love that is invisible to the eye.
13. It is from this “criterion of love” that, through his writings and witness of life, the saintly Bishop of Geneva reminds us that “we are what we communicate”.
14. We experience especially on social media — communication is often exploited so that the world may see us as we would like to be and not as we are.
15. May people who work in communications feel inspired by this saint of tenderness (Francis de Sales), seeking and telling the truth with courage and freedom and rejecting the temptation to use sensational and combative expressions.
16. As I have emphasised, “In the Church, too, there is a great need to listen to and to hear one another.”
17. We have a pressing need in the Church for communication that kindles hearts, that is balm on wounds and that shines light on the journey of our brothers and sisters.
18. I dream of an ecclesial communication that knows how to let itself be guided by the Holy Spirit, gentle and at the same time, prophetic, that knows how to find new ways and means for the wonderful proclamation it is called to deliver in the third millennium.
19. “A soft tongue will break a bone”, says the book of Proverbs (25:15).
20. Today more than ever, speaking with the heart is essential to foster a culture of peace in places where there is war; to open paths that allow for dialogue and reconciliation in places where hatred and enmity rage.
21. It is necessary to overcome the tendency to “discredit and insult opponents from the outset [rather] than to open a respectful dialogue”.
22. It is terrifying to hear how easily words calling for the destruction of people and territories are spoken. Words, unfortunately, that often turn into warlike actions of heinous violence. This is why all belligerent rhetoric must be rejected, as well as every form of propaganda that manipulates the truth, disfiguring it for ideological ends.
23. As Christians, we know that the destiny of peace is decided by conversion of hearts, since the virus of war comes from within the human heart.
24. Each of us is asked to engage in this effort (to build a civilization which is better than the one we have received), but it is one that especially appeals to the sense of responsibility of those working in the field of communications so that they may carry out their profession as a mission.