The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1960-12-09

&0A
Is a duty.
He told members of the
Catholic Union of the Italian
Press dec. A that these char
acteristics are a necessary
and urgent" antidote against
the serious dangers found in
certain sectors of the press.
The makeup of the Pope's
audience and some details of
his discourse made it clear
that Pope John was speaking
to the Italian journalists
about the Italian press. But
he also stated that the gen.
eral character of his remarks
made them pertinent for all
who work with you in the
name Of honesty and truth
and who defend those ideals
which are common to men of
good will"
POPE JOHN expressed
great esteem for all who
dedicate themselves honestly
to the difficult and serious
profession of journal j S :"
But he said he had "a natural
and easily understan d a b
preference for those who
Exercise this profession in
the light of the Gospel and of
the living and perennial teach
ing of the Church"
He referred to earlier dis
courses in which he had de-
plored the shortcomings and
dangers found in the press,
and noted that they still exist.
He said, however, that it
would be useless to give way
to regrets ard recriminations,
for 1--WE must move forward,
LAYING the foundations of a
new era" The Pope said that
because of this he would linn
1t himself to three positive
considerations: prepare I o n
for professional competence,
brotherly cooperation and CO.
ordination, and the develop
rnent and exercise of a Chris
tan sense.
Speaking Of the first point,
he said:
"oNE DOES NOT improvise
for a task, and if long and
hard years of specific prep
aration, both theoretical and
practical, are needed for ev-
cry profession entailing social
responsibility, this must applv
to active journalists as we'll"
A journalist. the Pope said.
should have "the delicacy of
Ia doctor. the versatility of a
literary scholar, the intuition
of a %jurist, and an educators
sense Of responsibility"
at is not sufficient. there
fore, to know only how to in
form and be informed" the
Pope continued. Zone must
also know the means and the
techrioues of information at
the same time not wasting
time in listening to and read
ing useless things 49,. so that
he can acquire the skill of
knowing how to choose, sort
out, and present the news"
BUT THE PRESS MUST not
only require profe S 81 o n a
competence, the Pope said,
but also must pay Just wages:
Financial compensation is a
duty" he stated.
Pope John said he recogniz-
es the fact that the Catholic
press is often not as we'll off
financially as its secular coun-
terpart, and emphasized there
fore that Catholic papers
could claim the special sup
port of those they serve. He
quoted from Pope Leo XIII:
"All those who really and
sincerely want both sacred
and civil things to be defend
ed effectively by able writer's
-. should out of their own
generosity seek TO promote
-. talent; and the greater
ones wealth, all the more
Just for one to support them
with ones power and riches"
fEncvclicaI "Etsi nos" Feb.
IS, 1889.
WHILE URGING A JUST
wage for Catholic newsmen,
Pope John at the same time
warned against pure profess
sionalism." He said the Cath
Ollie journalist who "sees
things solely from an econom-
ic and technical viewpoint -.
Ia--L L. L. Lonac% mill