Catholic press

By Sam Lucero
News and Information Manager

The Jan. 24 feast of St. Francis de Sales is an important observance for members of the Catholic press. St. Francis de Sales, an accomplished writer and preacher, is the patron saint of Catholic journalists.

During the month of February, the U.S. church observes Catholic Press Month. It is an opportunity to reflect on the mission of the Catholic press, and consider how well that mission is being served.

In general terms, our mission is to inform and form; that is, to present the news of the day accurately and objectively, and to offer instructional (catechetical) material to help educate readers about the faith. A third goal is to present editorial opinions on current religious issues.

Each week, The Compass strives to accomplish this mission through informative news articles, both local and global. Sometimes news can be disquieting, such as reports of scandal and violence. Sometimes it can be inspiring, such as our Catholic Neighbors profiles.

We form readers in our faith through such offerings as the Foundations of Faith page, as well as spiritual and Scripture-related columns. Our opinion pages include well-known syndicated columnists, in addition to Compass editorials and letters from our readers.

Not every reader enjoys every offering, and some faithful readers are quick to point this out.

In an occasional letter to the editor, or telephone call, a reader will wonder why certain opinions or negative news is published in a diocesan newspaper. These are not new questions, but some people - especially those who feel that some mandate exists from Rome - believe Catholic periodicals should present only positive news.

Two recent articles offer a response to criticism of the Catholic press and its role in the modern world. One article, a commentary written by Maryknoll Fr. William Grimm, calls for "real journalism in the church."

Fr. Grimm, editor in chief of Katorikku Shimbun, Japan's Catholic weekly newspaper, is a graduate of Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism, one of the world's most prestigious journalism schools. His background as a journalist and as a Maryknoll priest gives him authority on the topic of Catholic journalism.

In a column written for UCANews (Union of Catholic Asian News), an independent Catholic news agency covering all of Asia, Fr. Grimm bemoaned the lack of Catholic media outlets "with editorial freedom to accurately present the face of the church to its audience."

"The chief news that Catholic media must convey is the lives of the men and women who are the main body of the church, the laity," he said. "Their story is the story of the church in the world today, and is too seldom the focus of church journalism."

He also defended the practice of reporting on negative church news.

"... if the church is incapable or unwilling to report on its life and activities with transparency, others will step in," he said. "However, leaving honest reporting of the church to outside media leaves us open to misunderstanding and even sensationalism."

In comments made Jan. 31 in Rome, Archbishop Claudio Celli, president of the Pontifical Council for Social Communication, said that Catholic mass media should avoid becoming a voice of religious fundamentalism.

Archbishop Celli explained that the Catholic press exists not only for members of the church, "but rather are the presence of a Catholic reality that is open to all" men and women.

Catholic media, he added, "should not become ... instruments of a religious or cultural fundamentalism."

The debate continues about the role of the Catholic press. Comments from two notable church leaders with influence in church communications give Catholic journalists and their readers a lot to ponder. Readers are welcome to share their views.