POPE CRITICIZES MEDIA

VATICAN CITY — Pope John Paul II criticized the media, saying they often give a positive depiction of extramarital sex, contraception, abortion, and homosexuality that is harmful to society.

His message for World Communications Day—“The Media and the Family: A Risk and a Richness”—stated: “All communication has a moral dimension. People grow or diminish in moral stature by the words they speak and the messages they choose to hear.”

While some media portrayals of marriage celebrate love, fidelity, and self-giving, “infidelity, sexual activity outside marriage, and the absence of a moral and spiritual vision… are depicted uncritically. Positive support is at times given to divorce, contraception, abortion, and homosexuality. Such portrayals… are detrimental to the common good.”

The Pope urged “responsible communicators” to resist commercial pressure and secular ideologies—without censorship.

Parents, too, must guide children: “Even very young children can be taught… that media messages often urge behavior not in the child’s best interests or in accord with moral truth… children should not uncritically accept or imitate what they find.”

Though critical, John Paul affirmed media’s potential—and has used it masterfully: launching the Vatican website (1995) and papal text alerts.

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