Jubilee of the World of Communications (2)

Federation des Medias Catholiques is a member organisation, based in France, of the World Catholic Association for Communications SIGNIS. Towards the end of January each year it organises an Encounter for media professionals Les Journees de St Francois de Sales, named for the patron saint of journalists whose feast day is 24th January. This year the Encounter is being held in Rome and coincides with the Jubilee of the World of Communications.

The overarching theme of the 28th Encounter is "Catholic Media: What identity for what mission?" The titles of the three main plenary sessions of the Encounter address this theme as follows, with the speakers at each session drawn mainly, but not exclusively, from French language Catholic media organisations: 

Plenary 1: Information, formation or evangelisation: what is the mission of Catholic media?

What is the raison d'etre of our Catholic media? Have we as an object to take part in the missionary mandate for evangelising the public: Or do we exist to take part in the formation of Christian readers, to help them grow in the faith?  Or do our media take part in general information, bringing a Christian reading of events, particularly in these times when crises succeed crises? Or are our media all of these at once?

Plenary 2: Does Catholic media have a future?

In a world that appears always more de-Christianised, in the West at least, is there still a place for Catholic media? Do the public still have an interest for our titles, be that for a Christian vision or even to live a daily life of Christian prayer? If we are celebrating now the Jubilee 2025, will we still be here for the Jubilee 2050?

Plenary 3: Is the Catholic media an intermediary for the magisterium like other media?

Our media have an altogether particular positioning, between an editorial line and journalistic demand on the one part, and following the Catholic faith on the other part. How can and must our media situate themselves vis a vis developments of the magisterium? Are we there to relay them, to accompany them or to question them?

The Encounter is also animating an event within the main programme for the Jubilee of the World of Communications, with a session entitled "How can Catholic media be peace makers?". The sister of Pere Hamel (see below) will take part in this session.

On the occasion of the Jubilee, the Holy Father encourages us to be "pilgrims of hope".  What does that mean for us, professionals in Catholic media? Have our media a particular responsibility to communicate this hope, in being voices for peace in a world where conflicts, "the Third World War being fought piecemeal", appears sadly to spread and never to end?

 A final noteworthy feature of the Encounter will be the presentation of the Prix Pere Jacques Hamel. Pere Hamel was killed whilst celebrating Mass in his church in July 2016, and afterwards the Federation des Medias Catholiques, along with the family of Pere Hamel and the Archbishop of Rouen, established this prize. It is awarded for a media contribution that favours the promotion of peace and of  inter-religious dialogue. The prize will be presented during the Encounter by the French ambassador to the Holy See.

[The full programme for the Jubilee of the World of Communications is here, and notably opens with the celebration of Mass for the feast of St Francis de Sales.]