Caritas in Veritate and the challenges of new media
Building on his message for the 43rd World Day of Communications, Pope Benedict XVI again addressed new digital technologies in his encyclical Caritas in Veritate, released yesterday. In the sixth chapter, the Holy Father posited that the Internet’s democratization of media increases our freedom only insofar as its use promotes fraternity, charity and, of course, truth:
For better or for worse, [new means of social communications] are so integral a part of life today that it seems quite absurd to maintain that they are neutral — and hence unaffected by any moral considerations concerning people. […]
Just because social communications increase the possibilities of interconnection and the dissemination of ideas, it does not follow that they promote freedom or internationalize development and democracy for all. To achieve goals of this kind, they need to focus on promoting the dignity of persons and peoples, they need to be clearly inspired by charity and placed at the service of truth, of the good, and of natural and supernatural fraternity. In fact, human freedom is intrinsically linked with these higher values. The media can make an important contribution towards the growth in communion of the human family and the ethos of society when they are used to promote universal participation in the common search for what is just.
In the most recent episode of Witness (streaming online above in its entirety), Winnipeg’s Archbishop James Weisgerber similarly cautioned against uncritical reading of online sources. Perhaps we’ve trained ourselves to believe that if information is published—even if it is self-published, like this blog post—then it must meet rigorous journalistic or academic standards. Understandably, we readily trust pro-life or faith-related media from like-minded authors.
It seems that when things appear on websites, they have a truth, simply because they’re there. […] In the tradition of the Catholic Church, it’s very clear that the teaching authority of the Church is the bishop. And I mean if the people do not trust the bishop or the bishops of the country, and prefer to trust some anonymous website, we have a real crisis in understanding of what the Church is. I suppose those websites can play some role in tweaking consciences and raising issues, but I don’t think we can give them the infallibility of truth.
The President of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops does not suggest that lay Catholics should hesitate from using new media to serve the common good. Still, the Archbishop judges that, to the extent the bishops leave new media to others, the faithful will lack authoritative leadership and will turn elsewhere—as has already occurred, he admits, in the area of sanctity of life issues.
I think that has left us without a really strong program in promotion of the events of life within the country. And because there is a vacuum there — you know, there’s a huge number of people in the Catholic Church who are very concerned about this issue and they’re looking for leadership — this has been filled by many websites which have a very specific way of looking at things, which I don’t think is really Catholic.
And so the bishops really need to occupy that place and we are determined to do that. It’s going to take some time. [...] So this is one of the missions of the Church that I think has not been looked after. In theory and in teaching, we’re very, very strong, but in practical leadership, I think there’s a vacuum and we have to fill that.
It’s evident that new media can and does build up “natural and supernatural fraternity”, as the Pope describes. Examples include how Twitter users rapidly disseminated reports of the Iranian government’s recent suppression of protests. Yet in the fight against abortion, arguably the most important human rights battle of our time, Archbishop Weisgerber fears that new media has become a vicious battleground instead of a forum for communion:
What really hurts me most about this last six months is that people who are in favour of life and supporting life are fighting with each other instead of fighting for life. That is a terrible, terrible tragedy and that’s one we’re all accountable for. You know, there’s an expression in Scripture: “That is a sin that cries out to God”—good people fighting with each other.
NOTE: The interview with Archbishop Weisgerber was recorded prior to the release of the CCCB’s report of its investigation of alleged pro-abortion advocacy by partners of Development and Peace, the international development organization of the Catholic Church in Canada. The report, which can be read here, encourages “an open and fruitful dialogue with Canadian Catholic groups” that launched the initial allegations.
Dear Salt & Light,
Your interview with Archbishop Weisgerber was appreciated but with all due respect, I personally do not ‘trust’ an organization where we as Catholics provide money to assist the poor, the last thing I want is to support an organization where they continue to deny the facts.
Sorry but my dollar will go to ‘proven pro-life’ Catholic organizations.
MWood
Ottawa
Dear Salt and Light,
In regards to the issue of Development and Peace, with all respect for the position of Bishop Weiserberger, he is in error. I have done a LOT of research on this issue and LifeSiteNews is a respectable source of news, not to mention very Catholic. It is very scary to me that the bishops of Canada do not deem it necessay to investigate an issue that could be so dangerous for the Church as a whole. The credibility of the Catholic Church is coming into question, and you can bet the adversary (Satan) will use this against her. It is the duty of the Catholic bishops to delve into this issue in with great attention to detail. And also, they should pay attention to what their brother bishops in the Latin American countries are saying as well. This is not only coming from a website, but bishops from Peru, who even sent a letter to the CCCB asking them to cease funding abortion groups! Although D&P might have to admit an error, (or several errors) it is better than both supporting abortion and trying to hide the fact. I respectfully ask the bishops of Canada to investigate further and if necessary, as their brother bishops in the countries involved, to do their own investigation as well. Until that time, I will consider what Bishop Collins of Toronto is recommending as very wise and prudent.
God bless you and enlighten you!
Marie Anne
Quebec
With all due respect to Archbishop Weisgerber, I for one am one of those who can not put my trust in even him who speaks as a true Shepherd of the Church, an Apostle after the original twelve, unless there is some practical personal implication and participation on the part of that person in pro-life activities, be they put together by certain Catholic laity or by any other truly pro-life organization. When one says that there are “good people fighting with each other” one can not forget that this activity has been bred by the lack of active participation in pro-life advocacy at all levels on the part of the Clergy, from the lowest ranks to the highest. Out of the hundreds of thousands of Catholic Clergy in the world, only a meager handful have actually been out to any pro-life conference, procession, prayer vigil, or have given their approbation to lay pro-life activities, especially the most sincere and self-denying type. Surely, driven by prayer and fasting, every Catholic Clergy can actively participate in any one, single pro-life activity: there are so many and of so many different types; there is plenty of room for Clergy to foster, promote and create pro-life initiatives all over the world. If every Catholic Clergy spent a quarter day (6 hours) actively participating in pro-life action, while praying the rest of the year in support of pro-life activism, abortion would end within a year, truly: “That is a sin that cries out to God” for vengeance.
Richard — it has not been my experience that “only a meager handful” of clergy have been involved in pro-life activities. I’ve stood side by side with many priests, at a number of pro-life events, and have been blessed to have countless pastors encourage pro-life activities. I was particularly impressed at the 2009 March for Life in Ottawa to see Cardinal Ouellet, Archbishop Prendergast, Archbishop Collins, and a host of other Bishops from surrounding Dioceses and Archdioceses. We need to continue to encourage our Bishops and our priests to be involved in and, as you say, promote pro-life activities — as we, just as importantly, need to turn to the people beside us in the pew, and encourage them to be involved as well.
To add to Matthew’s experience at this year’s March for Life, it’s worth noting that Archbishop Weisgerber has personally participated in pro-life advocacy on numerous occasions. To cite but a few, one need only visit the Winnipeg Archdiocese’s website to find:
-A letter to the provincial health minister regarding public funding of abortion: http://www.archwinnipeg.ca/letter_2001-02-05.php
-His expression of “shock and outrage” at the awarding of the Order of Canada to abortionist Henry Morgentaler, which he asks the Governor General to rescind: http://www.archwinnipeg.ca/docs/letter_2008-08-14.pdf
Further, one need recall that it was under Archbishop Weisgerber’s presidency that the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops offered its full endorsement to the National March for Life for the first time.
Amazing how the Salt & Light people are stifling debate of Archbishop’s report on D&P.