February 1, 2004

Blessings and curses

The Catholic press (you’re reading an example right now) can be both a blessing and curse.

And yes, the Catholic press gets both blessed and cursed. We sure do. Often, that’s because, unlike the secular media, the Catholic press reminds people that the Gospel of Jesus Christ may NOT be the gospel of whatever passes for popular this very minute.

For some blessings and curses, read the exchange of letters on the Vatican’s thoughts on aspects of the war in Iraq (Page 9).

Catholic Press Month—February—is a good opportunity to ruminate on the role of media and Catholics. (I’m careful to use the more expansive term “media” here. While I’m partial to newspapers, we shouldn’t ignore Catholic radio and other avenues of proclaiming the Gospel.)

The church has been talking a lot lately about how important it is to challenge today’s culture You don’t have to go too far to recognize the issues at stake. If your eyes wander to the other stories on this page, you’ll see what I mean.

Cardinal George and Father Lou Cameli got together Jan. 25 to talk about the church’s moral voice and how its influence has been dampened in recent years. That’s a good example: the Catholic press is one of the surest ways for the church to get people to acknowledge—and perhaps agree—that today’s culture often does little to acknowledge the Gospel.

This issue’s cover story makes a good point, too. After all, how much did you see in secular media about the thousands of people—young and old—marching in the nation’s capital Jan. 22 affirming the church’s position on life? (Stories, photos on Page 15.)

But it’s more than that.

The church—and Catholic media—has a tough job seeking to transform society into one that at least recognizes Gospel values.

When the church speaks about the sin of racism (story, Page 12), or the value of sharing, or a vision of peace, someone—often a whole lot of someones—doesn’t think the church has a right to preach.

Cardinal George knows how badly the sexual abuse scandal has diminished the church’s ability to be heard over the din of other cultural voices. That’s one the church will have to accept blame for, and try to overcome. But the culpability of some people—even when some of those people are bishops—should not blunt the message of the Gospel.

Simply put, the church’s voice—most effectively enunciated through the Catholic media—must be heard by people if it is to counter the cultural influences that tend to drown out other voices.

Take, for instance, the sad reality that more people are interested in Super Bowl trivia and trash talk (except, perhaps, in Chicago this year) than care about poverty in America. What does that say about us as a culture?

Once upon a time, the Legion of Decency let Catholics know which films were suitable and which weren’t. More to the point, there was a time—obviously long past—when what the church and the Legion said made movemakers change their ways.

Today, it’s anything goes. And moviemakers care more about box-office success than moral judgments. (Of course, you can still get information on films, DVD and tapes from the Catholic press. They’re on Page 21 in this issue. Or visit www.usccb.org/movies/index.htm or www.decentfilms.com.)

What’s the answer to this cultural clash? Well, it certainly isn’t for the church to stop proclaiming its values. The challenge is for the Catholic press—and other media—to keep saying it. And to say it better.