As we enter the Seventh Sunday of Easter, between Ascension Thursday and next Sunday Pentecost, the disciples returned from the Mount of Olives to the UPPER-ROOM. There they were gathered with Mary, the Mother of Jesus, and other disciples and waited for the Promised Spirit.
The UPPER-ROOM became a 'waiting room'.
Our Mass is our WAITING ROOM for the coming of the Holy Spirit.
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SEVENTH SUNDAY OF EASTER*SUNDAY, JUNE 5
JOHN 17:1-11a
(Acts 1:12-14; Psalm 27; 1 Peter 4:13-16)
KEY VERSE: "Father, the hour has come. Give glory to your son, so that your son may glorify you" (v 1).
READING: Since the sixteenth century, this intimate prayer to the Father has been called Jesus' "high priestly prayer." Jesus spoke as though he was poised between heaven and earth. He had finished the work that had been given to him, that of revealing the one, eternal, merciful, righteous and ever-present God who he called "Father." Through Jesus' words and deeds, and finally through his passion and death, everything he did gave glory to the Father. At the resurrection, the Father would glorify the Son. As high priest, Jesus interceded for those who would continue his work on earth. As in the Lord's prayer, Jesus prayed that the Father's sacred name (God's saving power) would protect his followers from evil (Matt 6:13). [Kay Murdy www.daily-word-of-life.com].
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Communications Sunday
Sunday 5 June 2011
Message for World Communications Day 2011
from Bishop Tartaglia.
My Dear Brothers and Sisters,
The visit of Pope Benedict XVI to Scotland last September taught the Catholic community a great deal about the media. We learned how the media is an amazingly influential opinion former in our culture, as every moment of the Pope’s visit was reported, analysed and broadcast to the whole world in print and through radio, television and the internet. Before the visit, someone remarked that the Pope’s visit would be a success if the media declared it to be a success. Thankfully the Pope’s visit was a success and we are grateful to the media for playing its part so professionally and so well.
Catholics were also reminded that the media is not simply a news-gathering or truth-seeking organisation. Newspapers, broadcasters and websites can have their own agenda and favourite narrative, even when such a narrative is shown to be exaggerated or mistaken. We learned this painful truth in the months leading up to the Pope’s visit as some sections of the media perpetuated an agenda predicting the visit would be a failure, mired in controversy and blighted by indifference. Thankfully when the Pope arrived in our midst, his graciousness, gentleness and compassion quickly dispelled the pre-visit caricatures and the media rose to the occasion, offering us some glorious coverage of the Pope’s visit.
In the context of the papal visit, we also saw that some sections of the media in part reflected and in part generated quite deep anti-Catholic sentiment. Commentators expressed severe and intemperate judgements, and media organisations gave disproportionate space in newspapers, radio and television to people who have the most critical opinions about the Catholic Church. At times it seemed we were being overwhelmed in a sea of opprobrium.
Yet the media chastisement of the Catholic Church may still have served a good purpose. As St Paul reminds us, “Omnia in bonum” – "All turns out for the good of those who love God". (Romans 8:28). It created a climate of sorrow and penance within the Church for the sin of sexual abuse and for its mishandling by church authorities; it highlighted the significant voice the Church continues to exert in public life and galvanised Catholics to show their loyalty and affection for the successor of Peter.
This year the Holy Father once more focuses on the enormous potential of the internet and social networks in his World Communications Day Message, affirming boldly that, “there exists a Christian way of being present in the digital world.”
I warmly welcome the Holy Father’s words and encourage all our parishes and organisations to make use of the new opportunities the digital media offer us. At the same time the Church affirms the mass media in its work, encouraging it to carry out its essential role in our society truthfully, fairly and impartially. The Catholic Church esteems media professionals and underlines their right to work in freedom and safety. The Catholic Church unequivocally affirms the media as a force for good in the modern world.
The Media Office and communications professionals working for the Church in Scotland were at the forefront of the success of the Pope’s visit to Scotland, briefing and assisting the world’s media in myriad ways, instigating the St. Ninian’s Pageant in Edinburgh, defending the Pope and the Church against some outrageous accusations, and attempting to bring truth and perspective to the negative narrative which persisted in the pre-visit period. The special collection at today’s Mass traditionally goes to support our Communications and Media Office. The papal visit showed that this is a good and necessary cause, and I ask you to be generous today in supporting it.
Yours devotedly,
+ Philip Tartaglia
Bishop of Paisley
President of the Communications Commission of the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland
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| + Philip Tartaglia Bishop of Paisley |
from Bishop Tartaglia.
My Dear Brothers and Sisters,
The visit of Pope Benedict XVI to Scotland last September taught the Catholic community a great deal about the media. We learned how the media is an amazingly influential opinion former in our culture, as every moment of the Pope’s visit was reported, analysed and broadcast to the whole world in print and through radio, television and the internet. Before the visit, someone remarked that the Pope’s visit would be a success if the media declared it to be a success. Thankfully the Pope’s visit was a success and we are grateful to the media for playing its part so professionally and so well.
Catholics were also reminded that the media is not simply a news-gathering or truth-seeking organisation. Newspapers, broadcasters and websites can have their own agenda and favourite narrative, even when such a narrative is shown to be exaggerated or mistaken. We learned this painful truth in the months leading up to the Pope’s visit as some sections of the media perpetuated an agenda predicting the visit would be a failure, mired in controversy and blighted by indifference. Thankfully when the Pope arrived in our midst, his graciousness, gentleness and compassion quickly dispelled the pre-visit caricatures and the media rose to the occasion, offering us some glorious coverage of the Pope’s visit.
In the context of the papal visit, we also saw that some sections of the media in part reflected and in part generated quite deep anti-Catholic sentiment. Commentators expressed severe and intemperate judgements, and media organisations gave disproportionate space in newspapers, radio and television to people who have the most critical opinions about the Catholic Church. At times it seemed we were being overwhelmed in a sea of opprobrium.
Yet the media chastisement of the Catholic Church may still have served a good purpose. As St Paul reminds us, “Omnia in bonum” – "All turns out for the good of those who love God". (Romans 8:28). It created a climate of sorrow and penance within the Church for the sin of sexual abuse and for its mishandling by church authorities; it highlighted the significant voice the Church continues to exert in public life and galvanised Catholics to show their loyalty and affection for the successor of Peter.
This year the Holy Father once more focuses on the enormous potential of the internet and social networks in his World Communications Day Message, affirming boldly that, “there exists a Christian way of being present in the digital world.”
I warmly welcome the Holy Father’s words and encourage all our parishes and organisations to make use of the new opportunities the digital media offer us. At the same time the Church affirms the mass media in its work, encouraging it to carry out its essential role in our society truthfully, fairly and impartially. The Catholic Church esteems media professionals and underlines their right to work in freedom and safety. The Catholic Church unequivocally affirms the media as a force for good in the modern world.
The Media Office and communications professionals working for the Church in Scotland were at the forefront of the success of the Pope’s visit to Scotland, briefing and assisting the world’s media in myriad ways, instigating the St. Ninian’s Pageant in Edinburgh, defending the Pope and the Church against some outrageous accusations, and attempting to bring truth and perspective to the negative narrative which persisted in the pre-visit period. The special collection at today’s Mass traditionally goes to support our Communications and Media Office. The papal visit showed that this is a good and necessary cause, and I ask you to be generous today in supporting it.
Yours devotedly,
+ Philip Tartaglia
Bishop of Paisley
President of the Communications Commission of the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland
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COMMENT on Collection for the World Communications Day.
Excuse the axe to grind on the Collecting.
It is important to pray for the Apostolate of Communications.
The irony is in some popular Catholic Books. The first page of these books carry a fierce WARNING on COPYRIGHTS and prohibitions. It can amount to barriers to communications in this field.
An example,
All rights reserved.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, without permission in writing from the publisher or a licence permitting restricted copying in Ireland issued by the Irish Copyright Licencing Agency Ltd The Irish Writers Centre.
This kind of disincentive is in contrast to some Catholic publications.
The digital world of fiction and religious publications are made accessible on line on the Internet on a global spread.
While making generous 'contributions' are welcome, prayer for the Apostolate of Communications can be even more vital.
The digital world of fiction and religious publications are made accessible on line on the Internet on a global spread.
While making generous 'contributions' are welcome, prayer for the Apostolate of Communications can be even more vital.
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