The Church celebrates the 46th World Communications Day

We, the Daughters of Saint Paul, missionary sisters of the communications media, join the whole Church in the celebration of the 46^th World Communications Day on May 20. It is the only worldwide celebration called for by the Second Vatican Council and is marked in most countries, on the recommendation of the bishops of the world, on Ascension Sunday, a week before Pentecost Sunday.

For this year’s theme, Pope Benedict XVI selected: “Silence and Word: Path of Evangelization.” In his annual message in this yearly communication event, he explains that “it concerns the relationship between silence and word: two aspects of communication which need to be kept in balance, to alternate and to be integrated with one another if authentic dialogue and deep closeness between people are to be achieved.”

In a time when messages and information are plentiful – the Pope says - silence becomes essential if we are to distinguish what is important from what is insignificant or secondary. He mentions the role of search engines, social networks and the internet and pointed out that people today are frequently bombarded with answers to questions they have never asked and to needs of which they were unaware.

And he says that amid the complexity and diversity of the world of communications many find themselves confronted with the ultimate questions of human existence: Who am I? What can I know? What ought I to do? What may I hope?

It is important – the Pope continues- to affirm those who ask these questions, and to open up the possibility of a profound dialogue, not only by means of words and interchange, but also through the call to silent reflection, something that is often more eloquent than a hasty answer and permits seekers to reach into the depths of their being and open themselves to the path towards knowledge that God has inscribed in human hearts”.

So, the Pope points out that attention should be paid to the various types of websites, applications and social networks as well as making space for silence and occasions for prayer, meditation or sharing of the word of God.

In conclusion, Pope Benedict says “learning to communicate is learning to listen and contemplate as well as speak. This - he explains - is especially important for those engaged in this task of evangelization”.