A DOCUMENT ‘THE YOUNG IN THE NET’ BEING MADE
LD/KAI/CPJG
Tasks of the Church towards the young in the context of the net and new communication technologies were the main issue of a meeting of the Mass Media Council of the Polish Episcopal Conference, which was held on 26 October 2017 at Jasna Góra. Members and a board of councilors, presided over by archbishop Wacław Depo, were discussing social media as a big chance in passing over information and opinions, but also as a danger like fake news spread in the net. The Mass Media Council is planning to issue documents systematically, connected with currents challenges the Church is facing in the sphere of mass media. The first of them is going to be a document ‘The young in the net’ whose purpose is to show a positive role of Internet in the integral development of the man with noting what dangers can be for young people resulting from their presence in the net. The project of the documents is being prepared by a team of experts and representatives of the youth managed by Fr. Porf. Józef Kloch. The document is also going to be the result of the contribution of bishops’ synod meeting on: ‘Youth, faith and recognition of vocation’. Whereas Fr. PhD. Michał Dróżdż of the Pontifical University of John Paul II, noted an urgent necessity of media education in the sphere of using social nets. He quoted the thought of John Paul II that ‘the individual, sitting in front of computer, can achieve the top of personal development, but he can also get into a deep moral degradation’.
The issue of the debates of the Council were also reforms of Vatican mass media – conducted by the Secrertariat for Communication set up 2 years ago – in the context of work of the Polish section of the Vatican Radio – functioning continuously since 1938. Implemented savings result in reducing work of the radio station which is proved by resignation from preparing an evening programme by the Polish section from 28 October this year. Further stages of the reforms can aim at reducing the time of the radio programme for materials in Polish both in programmes of the Vatican Radio and on Vatican websites.
Archbishop Depo informed that this issue was the subject of care of the Episcopate Conference as the Polish section of the Vatican Radio plays an important role in maintaining contacts of Poles with the Holy See, and the radio programmes are listened to by a few million Poles everyday in Poland and abroad. It is possible thanks to re-broadcasting Polish programmes both by Channel 1 of the Polish TV and by all Catholic Radio Stations in Poland, including Maryja Radio and Jasna Góra Radio.
The Council meeting began with the Holy Mass celebrated in the Chapel of the Miraculous Image of Our Lady, which was presided over by archbishop Depo, and was concelebrated by among the others: bishop Tadeusz Bronakowski, bishop Adam Lepa and bishop Józef Szamocki. The Council meetings are held twice a year, in Warsaw and at Jasna Góra alternately, so as to somehow connect these places. – Today nobody needs to be convinced that mass media are a very important way of evangelization, so that the truth would reach to people who could distinguish what is a danger and what is how the truth is void – as prof. Andrzej Zybertowicz defined – said archbishop Depo and he added that for the last days and months, this notion has got updated – through the lies of the political system, through false freedom.
(AA)
„Niedziela” 45/2017