Pope Benedict XVI implores media on truth

The media can not be indifferent to the truth.

Addressing participants attending a week long congress on the Catholic Press that concluded on October 7, 2010 in Rome, Italy, His holiness Pope Benedict XVI called on those working in the media to be messegers of truth and hope.

"At a time when more and more people are embracing the new-media especially social networks the church continues to explore ways of maintaining its presence," he said.

The congress that had over 200 media personalities representing the print, the electronic and new media, from 85 countries in the world explored ways in which gospel, while facing the challenges of the time, can be transmitted relevantly using the new media.

Arch Bishop Claudio Maria Celli, President of the Pontifical Council of Social Communications had earlier on said that the church media must help people re-discover God, while offering them hope.

Addressing the congress, he lamented that the Catholic media had lost her prophetic voice. The President hoped that the catholic media would rediscover her prophetic role in her communications mission.

"In a digital world, the church must also present and grow with the new technology and bring all people to God," he said.

The visit to the Holy Father ended with the Pontiff encouraging and blessing those in the Catholic media, and he wished them the accompaniment of the Holy Spirit in their ministry.

Kenya was represented by Fr Martin Wanyoike, Secretary for Communications-Catholic Secretariat; Sr Lucy Lando-Director; Ukweli Video and Ms. Bertina Kanaka-Director of Comunications; Archdiocese of Mombasa.