In his annual Message for World Communications Day, Pope Francis says, that communication is part of God’s plan for us - an essential way to experience fellowship.
But, in this age of fast and furious media it can be difficult to know who and what we can trust. News, Social Media, Movies, Videos, Celebrities, Art, Music and more fill our lives with conflicting stories and realities.
Carefully discerning authentic communications, and being authentic communicators ourselves can be a minefield we need to negotiate carefully…and slowly.
It can be all too easy to place the responsibility for ‘good’ news solely on journalists and media organisations, when in fact we too share in the ownership of information by how we receive and share it.
As Pope Francis says in his Message, we need to be ‘people who are not greedy but ready to listen, people who make the effort to engage in sincere dialogue so that the truth can emerge; people who are attracted by goodness and take responsibility for how they use language.’
And at all times, we need to be the voice of Christ.
In the words of St Francis of Assisi:
Lord, make us instruments of your peace.
Most Rev Peter A Comensoli
Bishop of Broken Bay
Read Pope Francis' 2018 World Communications Day Message