World Communication Day

Here is Benedict XVI’s message for the 40th World Communications Day. “The Media: A Network for Communication, Communion and Cooperation.” The World Day will be observed May 27.

Saint Paul, in his letter to the Ephesians, vividly depicts our human vocation to be “sharers in the divine nature” (“Dei Verbum,” 2): through Christ we have access in one Spirit to the Father; so we are no longer strangers and aliens but citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, growing into a holy temple, a dwelling place for God (cf. Ephesians 2:18-22).

Technological advances in the media have in certain respects conquered time and space, making communication between people, even when separated by vast distances, both instantaneous and direct.

Yet, as we all know, our world is far from perfect. Daily we are reminded that immediacy of communication does not necessarily translate into the building of cooperation and communion in society.

The call for today’s media to be responsible — to be the protagonist of truth and promoter of the peace that ensues — carries with it a number of challenges. While the various instruments of social communication facilitate the exchange of information, ideas, and mutual understanding among groups, they are also tainted by ambiguity

Accurate reporting of events, full explanation of matters of public concern, and fair representation of diverse points of view must, then, always be fostered. The need to uphold and support marriage and family life is of particular importance, precisely because it pertains to the foundation of every culture and society (cf. “Apostolicam Actuositatem,” 11). In cooperation with parents, the social communications and entertainment industries can assist in the difficult but sublimely satisfying vocation of bringing up children, through presenting edifying models of human life and love (cf. “Inter Mirifica,” 11). How disheartening and destructive it is to us all when the opposite occurs. Do not our hearts cry out, most especially, when our young people are subjected to debased or false expressions of love which ridicule the God-given dignity of every human person and undermine family interests?

The above is a long, long, long message from the Pope in conjunction with World Communications Day. zzzzzz…. I just copy some parts as a reminder to me, as a blogger, Catholic, mother and citizen and the important role I play.

Christ is our peace. In him we are one (cf. Ephesians 2:14). Let us together break down the dividing walls of hostility and build up the communion of love according to the designs of the Creator made known through his Son!

Today, another tragedy happen. 3,000 are killed in the quake in Yogyakarta.

Indonesia quake toll passes 3,000 – More than 3,000 people have been killed and thousands more injured by a strong earthquake that struck the Indonesian island of Java, officials have said.

The quake, measuring 6.2, flattened buildings in a densely-populated area south of the city of Yogyakarta, near the southern coast of Java.

This piece of news is very freaky to me, after what I blabbered in my last post. I didn’t read the news until this evening. No wonder I saw Rescue 991 ambulance stationed at Pantai Miami (where the tsunami hit last time) this morning when I passed by to go to the Penang International Dragon boat race (to ogle muscled men in wet suits ;P ). I was totally unaware and joked that they are there to wait for tsunami to happen. *piak self, next time don’t mulut celupar* A tremor really hit us yesterday but I missed that chi-kik-ness because I was out driving.

Another thing – I read and read PPS pings and no one seems to write about this quake. What? 3,000 people dead is not news?