Observations, by Tom Sheridan

Here’s something a little scary. OK, more than a little scary.

Journalists, at least Catholic journalists, are supposed to be saintly.

Hey, being a saint is a wonderful thing, I’m sure. And being credited with a miracle or two would suit my ego just fine.

But the first requirement of sainthood is that you have to be dead and I’m not quite ready to go yet.

Journalism, almost by definition, is about the here and now. But I guess Catholic journalism is also about the here and hereafter.

That, perhaps, is what Archbishop John Foley, president of the Vatican’s Pontifical Council for Social Communications, was getting at when he brought up saints and journalists in the same breath in January, calling on journalists to live exemplary lives. Otherwise, he said, “many people will not listen to our message because the messenger … appears to lack credibility.”

Though, after four decades in this business—mostly in secular journalism—the “saintly” bit might seem to be a stretch. However, the archbishop’s comment gives me an opportunity to acknowledge that February is Catholic Press Month.

It also lets me turn the “saintly” bit on its ear and suggest that—at least as much as Catholic journalists—those who read Catholic newspapers and listen to Catholic radio and TV also should seek to lead exemplary lives. And I’ll concede that it’s partly our job to help them by sharing good news—and the Good News.

Once a year I get to rattle on about how important—and how under-utilized—Catholic media is in accomplishing that task.

That’s understandable, perhaps, in a major media market such as Chicago where the 2.4 million baptized Catholics who live in Cook and Lake counties are bombarded daily with far more secular firepower than the Catholic Church can muster.

Some of what gets broadcast or printed or blogged is good, informative and supportive of the church’s mission. A lot isn’t.

Catholic media, of course, shouldn’t be all fluff and phony good news. But neither should it revel in and celebrate bad news. Archbishop Foley—himself a former editor of the newspaper of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia—understands that.

People, he said, “will not listen to the good news we seek to share unless we are honest with them about the unfortunate bad news that sometimes occurs.”

Stealing a beat from broadcaster Paul Harvey, it’s the role of the Catholic media to tell “the rest of the story.”

Foley put it a little better: It’s the mission of the Catholic press, he said, help people realize they are not alone in practicing their faith. Catholic newspapers not only provide “authentic information about the church and society,” but they also form “a true sense of Catholic community.” That would also be true for Catholic radio and TV, both of which the Archdiocese of Chicago labors to offer.

However, Catholic media—perhaps especially newspapers—are only going to be successful in their mission if they reach the very people who would benefit from the message of faith they offer.

And with lots of media vying for the eyes, ears and pocketbooks of people, Catholic media has to work harder.

While most dioceses have parish programs in place, The Catholic New World is in the process of developing support among pastors to encourage readership. (Hint: Tell your pastor it’s a good idea.) Catholic radio and television take every opportunity to promote their offerings.

One final word. In his message for World Communications Day, May 8, Pope John Paul II challenged secular media to make the world a better place by “fostering harmony and reconciliation” among people. He conceded, however, that mass media is capable of causing “untold harm, giving rise to misunderstanding, prejudice and even conflict.”

Maybe Catholic media can give them some Good News lessons.