الاتحاد الكاثوليكي العالمي للصحافة- لبنان اوسيب – لبنان
Antelias, April 7 th, 2005
1 – With the absence of His Holiness Pope John Paul II, the mass media loses a guide and friend who closely conveyed it along his pontificate. Our World Forum had the chance of always getting the attention of His Holiness who participated in our General Conference in Rome in 1980, received us during the jubilee of the Forum in December 2002, and through his messages to our conferences. These actions helped the Forum to launch and support media concepts values, and helped reporters and other publicists to achieve their role as best of they can.
2 – The media morality and human values constitute two constituents of practicing journalism. Today, it seems they are necessary more than ever before because mass media is nearly to become an industrial – commercial institution looking for gain and power. This is what His Holiness warns of in his annually message on the occasion of the Universally Day of Media.
3 – In his 27 annual messages on the occasion of the Universally Day of Media, His Holiness kept on emphasizing that mass media and telecommunication shall remain in the service of the humanity and human being, and one shall beneficiary of them and avoid their bad usage which harms human values. The example he gave was the mass media as tool of peace, freedom, justice and love, values he vowed for.
4 – During his life, His Holiness gave the example of the engagement importance of the public affair, and the engagement toward ourselves in order to give our best to develop our nature and collaborate in building the future of coming generations.
5 – His Holiness pointed out that the world needs an intelligent leadership and a moral power which draw the path, especially in the period of globalization, and loss of private communities’ features and traditional values. He tried by his permanent presence and his media messages to be that light which dissipates the darkness and tightens our strength for continuing the process.
6 – As reporters, we are invited today to evaluate our role and mission, and to approach the values warned about by His Holiness, mainly the service of truth. As for the life and death of John Paul II, they remain for reporters the example of courage and telling the truth, and his teachings remain an inspiration to the future generations.
Translated by: Joyce Tary
