Council Links Communications, Anthropology

Conference About Sharing Ideas, Says Prelate

By Miriam Díez i Bosch

VATICAN CITY, MAY 21, 2008 (Zenit.org).- This weekend's conference for communications faculties of Catholic universities will not be about listening to discourses but about sharing experiences, affirmed the president of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications.

Archbishop Claudia Celli told ZENIT that the conference, which begins Thursday at Rome's Pontifical Urbanian University, will use an innovative methodology.

"It is not a congress in which they come to hear discourses, but rather to share experiences," he said.

One of the objectives is to look at the Catholic identity of the communications programs. "Sometimes the curricula are identical to those of lay faculties," Archbishop Celli noted. "And we want to ask ourselves if we don't have something particular and specific to propose."

"On one hand, technical competence is important," he continued, "but we are convinced that it is not enough, that we have to see what is the function and value of all communication, linked to anthropology."

Archbishop Celli continued, "We want to participate in the positive contribution of the press for the growth of the human community, which does not have just an individual dimension, but also a communitarian one."

"We're not seeking uniformity, nor to impose anything," he added, saying he sees the conference as a moment "of reciprocal listening and reflection, since listening, the strengthening of reciprocal relationships and help is also communion."

Fruits

The pontifical council president proposed that a fruit of the conference could be a type of "academic council," which would eventually help the Vatican dicastery with issues such as the new tendencies of communication.

The congress will look at the changing world of communications and the challenges that face those dedicated to the academic formation of future professional communicators, as well as the identity and mission of communications faculties in Catholic universities, and the ethical formation of communicators.

Monsignor Paul Tighe, secretary of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, told ZENIT he hopes "new initiatives are born from this congress, [initiatives] of mutual support between Catholic universities, for example collaboration between faculties from countries with resources and centers from countries with economic difficulties."

More than 40 countries and 45 communications faculties will be represented at the congress.