Madrid cardinal calls on media to report the truth

Madrid, Spain, May 11, 2010 / 12:03 pm

The Archbishop of Madrid, Cardinal Antonio Maria Rouco Varela, called on the media this week to report the truth and to respect the dignity of persons. He also denounced the “destructive” effects that take place when the media degrades the dignity of individuals.

In a message for the 44th World Day of Social Communications, which the Church will celebrate next Sunday, Cardinal Rouco Varela said the technological evolution of the media has been “dizzying” and acknowledged the socio-political, cultural, spiritual and religious influence they exert.

Nevertheless, the cardinal continued, in his opinion, "all too frequently," the media puts itself at the service “of social and cultural processes profoundly degrading to the dignity of the human being.”

Consequently the cardinal urged the media to report “the truth in truth.”  He added that this can be difficult because of the “classic temptations to selfishness, to the acquisition of power at all costs, to money, and consequently, to deception and offending one’s neighbor.”

He added that Catholics in the media know how to be “servants of the full truth” and are therefore “direct and explicit witnesses” of the word of Jesus Christ in their profession and in the broadcasting of information to their audiences.