MESSAGE OF THE HOLY FATHER JOHN PAUL II
FOR THE 39th WORLD COMMUNICATIONS DAY
FOR THE 39th WORLD COMMUNICATIONS DAY
"The Communications Media: At the Service
of Understanding Among Peoples"
of Understanding Among Peoples"
[Sunday, 8 May 2005]
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
1. We read in the Letter of Saint James, "From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this ought not to be so" (James 3:10). The Sacred Scriptures remind us that words have an extraordinary power to bring people together or to divide them, to forge bonds of friendship or to provoke hostility.
Not only is this true of words spoken by one person to another: it applies equally to communication taking place at any level. Modern technology places at our disposal unprecedented possibilities for good, for spreading the truth of our salvation in Jesus Christ and for fostering harmony and reconciliation. Yet its misuse can do untold harm, giving rise to misunderstanding, prejudice and even conflict. The theme chosen for the 2005 World Communications Day - "The Communications Media: At the Service of Understanding Among Peoples" - addresses an urgent need: to promote the unity of the human family through the use made of these great resources.
