Media Watch

Dialogue with Muslims Paramount, Says Cardinal Arinze

THE VANCOUVER SUN, Nov. 19 — Dialogue with Muslims is more important than ever because of the rise of Islamic fundamentalism around the world, Cardinal Francis Arinze said. It is also more difficult because of that trend.

The cardinal, president of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, said the Vatican has been going out of its way to open channels of communication with Muslims, following the “barbarous” Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. He spoke to an audience of 500 at the Benedictine Westminster Abbey in Vancouver. Though he rejects the relativistic belief that all religions are equal, Cardinal Arinze said Christians and Muslims must advocate religious tolerance and freedom.

He said he would not disagree with many Muslims who believe Western secular values are being imposed on them through globalization and the mass media, the Canadian daily reported. “The Church is not in favor of the imposition of the culture of one people on other peoples, in past decades by colonialism and today by powerful mass media, which, by TV alone, quietly but effectively spread a whole philosophy of life that homogenizes culture,” he said.

Push for Higher Media Standards, Pope Urges

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS, Nov. 20 — Pope John Paul II encouraged Catholics to help set high standards for the communications industry. “People spend enormous amounts of time absorbed in media consumption, particularly children and adolescents,” the Pope said in a private audience with 450 members of the International Catholic Association for Radio and Television (UNDA) and the International Catholic Organization for Cinema and Audiovisuals (OCIC). “An important part of your work, therefore, is to teach wise and responsible media use. This means setting high standards, not for the general public alone, but also for the leaders of the communications industry.”

UNDA and OCIC are merging to form SIGNIS, a new international Catholic organization for all audiovisual media.

Pope Intends to be in Toronto Next Summer

THE TORONTO SUN, Nov. 16 — Though he has shown signs of frailty lately, Pope John Paul has stated his intention of being in Toronto next July for World Youth Day. According to the Canadian daily, the Pope has told close confidants that his trip is of grave importance, given the world's heightened climate of terrorism and violence. And he is up to the task, said Father Thomas Rosica, Canadian director of World Youth Day. “His mind is extremely strong,” the priest reported. “His heart is with us, and he told us as recently as Monday, ‘I will be there.’"

Cardinal James Stafford, the lead Vatican organizer of World Youth Day, agreed that the Pope's presence is important. “Young people have the right to ask, ‘Why has there been so much systemic violence and the murder of so many lives?'” The Pope, he said, will come and say, “I want to help you.”

The July 22-28 event, expected to draw 1 million young people, could be the largest single gathering in Canadian history. In the first five weeks of registration, 45,000 people from more than 50 nations have signed up.

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