One of my waking-up highlights each day is the thought of the newspaper with breakfast. Many mornings I read quickly, enticed on by the thought of the cryptic crossword following the news section. There are many other mornings when an article, or a picture, or a cartoon slows me down. I find that I am now looking out the window pondering the novel perspective or sound argument that is presented.
This morning the editorial had me reading and re-reading. And it was on my mind throughout the day. If you didn’t see it, here it is:
People (mostly within the Church) often comment that the media is tough on the Church. Some Church people think that the secular media has a pretty strong bias against the Church. I have never thought this to be the case. Very often I do not like what I read about the Church that I love. But, most often I have to admit that where there is smoke there is flame – and that while the press or TV and radio might not be presenting the full picture, there is some justification for the strong critique they often present.
My real concern is that while the media might not offer the complete picture, they have good reasons for a limited perspective: they are not practiced in the life of the Church and not ordained as preachers or presented as ministers. How could they know the full picture of the inner life of the Church?
But the people of the Catholic Church do not have good reason for presenting a limited perspective. Too often we reduce the life of faith to simple adherence to a moral code or obedience to figures of church and state authority. In this preoccupation we promote ourselves as moralistic and legalistic rather than adult Christians delighting in vibrant and living relationship with God.
So it really causes to me to ponder when the editor of a secular paper brings sound reason and balanced perspective to his piece on Pope Benedict’s visit to the UK.
What do you think?
johncoconnor@me.com
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