Archbishop William Lori, Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Baltimore, United States, has invited reporters to draw from the wellspring of prayer to build bridges across polarized societies through the media.
Catholic media representatives including journalists, editors, and social media managers from various dioceses in the United States of America, gathered this week in the city of Baltimore for the annual Catholic Media Conference, from 7-9 June.
In an interview with Vatican News, Archbishop William Lori, Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Baltimore, United States, who hosts the event this year in the Archdiocese of Baltimore, shared his hopes and advice for Catholic communicators.
The Archbishop of Baltimore expressed his support for the important mission of Catholic media “in our increasingly self-absorbed and polarized world”.
“Catholic communication is above all a means of evangelization, a means of sharing the good news, a means of communicating the truth, goodness, and beauty of Jesus Christ,” he said.
At the same time, Catholic media professionals have the responsibility of “shedding light on the people and events of our times, and helping people… to read the signs of the times in the light of the Gospel.”
Archbishop Lori also serves as the Supreme Chaplain of the Knights of Columbus, which offers financial support for many Catholic initiatives, including various media agencies.
The Archbishop offered a piece of advice for Catholic media professionals on how to organize their priorities.
“The first priority for each of us is to communicate first with the Lord and to ask the Lord continually to fill us with the Holy Spirit so that we can to carry with us the good news, the person of Christ, such that the light of Christ really shines through us,” he said.
Building relationships is another important factor in the work of media professionals.
He invited Catholic reporters to build relationships with opinion leaders and the secular media, but he admitted that this interaction between Catholic and secular media can be challenging at times.
“However,” concluded Archbishop Lori, “I think that it’s important continually to try to build those bridges and to keep on doing it even when the love and respect that is offered is not returned measure for measure as often as it isn’t.”
Source: Vatican News
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