VATICAN - The Pope tells directors of Catholic radio stations: “The radio participates in the mission and visibility of the Church, but it also creates a new way of living, of being and of making the Church.”

Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) – “Dear friends, as you work in Catholic radio stations you are at the service of the Word. The words that you broadcast each day are an echo of that Eternal Word which became flesh. Your words will bear fruit only to the degree in which they serve the Eternal Word, Jesus Christ.” These were the words of the Holy Father Benedict XVI, in addressing the participants in an International Congress held for the directors of Catholic radio, sponsored by the Pontifical Council for Social Communications on “The identity and mission of Catholic radio today. A reflection on what it is to be human in order to be at the service of the person.” They were received in a papal audience on June 20.
At the beginning of his speech, the Holy Father recalled the “many and diverse forms of communication in which we all participate, clearly manifesting that in his essential anthropological structure, man is made to enter in relation with others. This is done, above all, through the word.”
The Pope then encouraged members of Catholic radio, telling them not to be discouraged in their daily work: “The words which you transmit reach countless people, some of whom are alone and for whom your word comes as a consoling gift, some of whom are curious and are intrigued by what they hear, some of whom never attend church because they belong to different religions or to no religion at all, and others still who have never heard the name of Jesus Christ, yet through your service first come to hear the words of salvation. This work of patient sowing, carried on day after day, hour after hour, is your way of co-operating in the apostolic mission.”
Among the many forms of communication that exist today – that “may be seen as a gift from God to help individuals and all humankind to develop” – the radio occupies a unique place, as it “brings words and music to people in order to inform and to entertain, to announce and to denounce, but always respecting the truth and with the clear aim of educating in truth and hope. Jesus Christ gives us the Truth about man and the truth for man and, on the basis of that truth, a hope for the present and future of humanity in the world.”
After encouraging those working in radio in their mission, the Holy Father highlighted the need to integrate the Christian message into the “new culture,” created by modern communications, and said that, “the radio, due to its association with the word, participates in the mission and visibility of the Church, but it also creates a new way of living, of being and of making the Church; this brings with it various ecclesiological and pastoral challenges. It is important to make the Word of God attractive, giving it consistency through your transmissions so as to touch the hearts of the men and women of our time, and to participate in transforming the lives of our contemporaries.”
Concluding his speech, the Pope focused on the fact that the Catholic radio networks “can be a small but real echo in the world of the network of friendship that the presence of the risen Christ, the God-with-us, inaugurated between heaven and earth and among mankind of all continents and epochs. In this way your work will become a full part of the mission of the Church, which I invite you to love deeply. By helping the heart of each person to open to Christ, you will help the world to open to hope and to that civilization of truth and love which is the most eloquent result of His presence among us.” (SL) (Agenzia Fides 23/6/2008)