Vatican City (Fides Service) - "There is no question that the media today exercise a most powerful and pervasive influence, forming and informing public opinion on a local, national and global scale" and that hence the fundamental aim of modern means of social communications should be to make "the truth ever more widely known and increase solidarity within the human family". Pope John Paul II said this when he received in audience on 25 March participants in the annual plenary of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications.
Recalling his theme for this year's 37th World Day for Social Communications, 1st June, which takes inspiration from the Pacem In Terris encyclical by Pope John XXIII, the Holy Father said: "truth and solidarity are two of the most efficacious means available for overcoming hatred, resolving conflict and eliminating violence. They are also indispensable for re-establishing and strengthening the mutual bonds of understanding, trust and compassion that unite all individuals, peoples and nations, regardless of their ethnic or cultural origin. In short, truth and solidarity are necessary if humanity is to succeed in building a culture of life, a civilization of love, a world of peace. This is the challenge facing the men and women of the media, and it is the task of your Pontifical Council to assist and guide them in responding positively and effectively to this obligation. I pray that your efforts in this regard will continue to bear much fruit. During this Year of the Rosary, I entrust you all to the loving intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary: may her faith-filled response to the Angel, which gave the world its Saviour, serve as a model for our own proclamation of the saving message of her Son. As a pledge of grace and strength in the Word-made-flesh I cordially impart to you my Apostolic Blessing." See full text at www.fides.org SL (Fides Service 26/3/2003 EM lines 28 Words: 343)