tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-496103327369055047.post872296653381701089..comments2024-03-11T09:39:22.914+00:00Comments on Ex Umbris Et Imaginibus: Media Distort Francis....Again! Father Directorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17910574198138234820noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-496103327369055047.post-64601917395970822112013-09-24T14:09:25.933+01:002013-09-24T14:09:25.933+01:00Speaking of media, getting back to our neck of the...Speaking of media, getting back to our neck of the woods, I wonder why the Catholic Ireland website has to resort to a Thought for the Day from Fr. Richard Rohr. Considering the vast treasury of writings we have to pool from in our Church, it is baffling ? This websites news section goes into every Diocesan and I think Parish website in Ireland. They also seem to like promoting Fr. Tony Flannery's book. These Priests need our prayers if anything. We also need to protect our Church from error not promote it. Also it is very difficult to know who edits the Catholic Ireland website...no names apart from those who write articles for it. Perhaps someone could challenge them on it whoever they are ! God bless you Fr. Annehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05414512459104270514noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-496103327369055047.post-8399640854122082422013-09-21T21:50:21.163+01:002013-09-21T21:50:21.163+01:00Is the positive media coverage for Pope Francis no...Is the positive media coverage for Pope Francis not a good thing in a way? I've noticed that a lot of young people I know like him - or maybe it is more 'acceptable' for them to admit that they like him, than it was for the last Pope who seemed to be demonised in the media. Also, most media outlets linked to the whole of the interview in question - I bet many attracted by the initial sensationalized headline went on to read it.<br /><br /> If it encourages people to be more open to the message of God, which as you say is very counter cultural, especially for teenagers and young adults like myself, or to return to the church where any media distortions will surely be cleared up, is this not a positive? <br /><br />The media, in Ireland certainly, has seemed only to write negative stories about the Church, and often the only Catholic comments that you read in a paper or hear on the news are to do with Child abuse, or in the last few years, abortion. Obviously the Church talks about any number of important issues but the impression purposefully generated by the media is that it obsesses over issues like abortion to the point of neglecting others and talking about little or nothing else - when this is far from the truth. The Church needs to try and get the message about loving your neighbor, forgivingness, the Gospel etc out more successfully because the mainstream media ignores what the Church says about these things and creates the false impression I talked about; the Church is far far more than just pro life but you'd be forgiven for thinking otherwise by the way the media distorts things. Thats not to say that the pro life position isn't important, obviously it is and efforts in that regard shouldn't be lessened. <br /><br />Abortion is a very distressing and confusing issue for many and they are often confronted with distorted accusations about Savita, the X Case, where it is easy to portray the Pro Life position as being cruel or uncaring. When the group think of their peers and the media "confirms" this many young people don't even think about the issue for themselves - as you know the only interaction lots of young people have with the Church is their First Communion and Confirmation. <br /><br />The humility, kindness, charisma and humble attitude of the new Pope has shattered the caricature the media built of the Church, of it being an elitist, aloof, uncaring institution which has nothing in common with, or to offer ordinary people, especially the young. I'll give you an example of this, recently a couple of young people took a "selfie" picture of themselves with Pope Francis. This picture was widely shared among my facebook contacts with a slew of positive comments about Pope Francis and "likes". This is the first time I can recall a positive message like that on facebook among non religious people on my facebook feed. This might seem trivial to some but I think it is quite significant.<br /><br />I think the media agenda is twofold, to build Pope Francis up in a distorted way as something he isn't, in order to try and drive a wedge between him and the faithful, and when that inevitably fails they will try to drag down the figure they built up. <br /><br />I think the positive image the media have built up can be very helpful to encourage young people to engage with the Church, whether thats to start some of them thinking about faith, something they may have never done before, or to encourage others to raise their heads above the parapet and not be afraid to profess their faith or to practice it - it can be very hard for some people to swim against the tide. The Church should make hay while the sun shines before the media inevitably turn on Pope Francis. <br /><br /><br />DavidAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com