Catholic Communications 101 by Fr. Lombardi, director of the Vatican press office.
Fr. Lombardi, director of the Vatican press office, must have experienced some of the busiest weeks of his life as a result of the Williamson controversy.
At a meeting of the communications commission for the Spanish bishops’ conference, Lombardi spoke about crisis communication and about catholic communication in general.
Zenit.org published a translation of his address. It’s a very interesting, but long text, so I will highlight the most important recommendations for Catholic communicators in three separate articles. I added section titles in bold to facilitate reading.
Adopt a positive attitude towards social communications
The Church has always been a communicator; proclamation is part of her very nature. After many centuries, the press rapidly became the essential way for the proclamation. Finally, the last century marked the advent and massive diffusion of new instruments of communication: cinema, radio, television, electronic communication through the Internet, e-mails, etc. The Church has attempted to use these new ways to carry out her mission in her various realms.
The Church’s documents [...] reflect a positive point of view -we can even say optimistic -on the development of social communications and the possibilities they offer to put the Church’s mission into practice.
Use the media for evangelization and community building
I believe we must share this attitude and try to cultivate it. Hence, my advice is not to have a fearful attitude or one of negative prejudice towards social communications and their agents, but to do everything possible to take advantage of the apostolic possibilities in the use of the instruments of communication, in two main directions in order to serve them:
- The proclamation of the Gospel and the message of the Church.
- The building of communion and of the ecclesial community.
According to Fr. Lombardi, it’s our duty to try to reach out via the media:
We all know that today there is a great number of people who are not reached directly by the message of the Church, but who can be reached through the media.
Encourage new media, but don’t underestimate the importance of old media
The “traditional” media often retain their importance, and it would be absurd to put them aside, allowing oneself be carried away by the fascination of the new technologies, thus abandoning important segments of readers and listeners.
According to Fr. Lombardi we must be “prudent and realistic when evaluating the actual weight of the various media.” Even though websites can attract a sizeable audience, the reach of ‘traditional’ media is still much larger.
For example, the Czech Program has a much-visited Web page in relation to the Czech-speaking world, with close 300,000 visits in one year, around 1,000 a day. But the radiophonic program is re-transmitted by a Catholic broadcasting station that has between 50,000 and 90,000 listeners a day.
Allow grass-roots new media initiatives by the younger generation
Many young people today use several ways of communication, through the Internet, ipods or mobile phones, etc. And there are full tendencies and great development in this field. We must be able to tap them and find them in these new ways of communication, offering them signs of our presence and answers to their questions or needs. This year’s message for the World Day of Social Communications is a strong encouragement in this direction.
The presence of the catholic church in new media is initiated by the younger generation:
We have with us many capable young people, who can help us: we must encourage them to live their time with confidence and we must listen to their proposals. I believe that in this way it is possible to move without agitation and with creativity in the world of the new media. In my case, the new media – for example, starting the regular use of “podcasting,” the production of “video news” and its publication on YouTube – have always come to me through my collaborators, and not from myself or my superiors.
Integrate new and traditional media
I try very hard to keep a continuity of evolution in communication and to give an image of integration of its services [..]
We have tried to amplify our presence by using YouTube, but in the home page of the Vatican’s channel on YouTube we have presented a link system that links the visitors in such a way that they have possibilities for more profound information, offered by the traditional media and their Web
Stay close to the world in which people live
What we communicate by request of the Church is not an abstract message, removed from the real life of the people, of our brothers and sisters among whom and for whom we live. [..] We see the proclamation of the Church closely related with the reality of the world; we do not think of a Catholic communication separated from a “profane” communication, what interest us is man, the whole man and his problems seen from the perspective of the Gospel.
Use clear and comprehensible language
One can never cease to insist on the use of clear, simple and comprehensible language, not to be abstract and complicated or specialized. It is true that at times the contents is complex and the addresses must be articulated, but in the end, if we want a message to “reach” and remain in the memory of those who listen to us, we must be able to indicate its central nucleus with simplicity and clarity.
An example is that of the recent, tormented case connected with the “Lefebvrites.” We have seen, once again, how difficult it is to make “excommunication” or the remission of excommunication understood. It seems to me that today the word “excommunication” is a bad word, which evokes ghosts of the Inquisition and strong emotions and which, therefore, must be presented with great care at the hour of using it.
Always tell the truth without delay
We must always be truthful and clear. Perhaps it is superfluous to mention it, but I do not think so. The truth must always be told, also when faced by difficult questions.
The truth is an essential principle, in the so-called “crisis communication,” when we are attacked by scandals or errors. There is nothing worse than to think that the situation can be improved by denying the truth.
When we are presented with questions that deserve an answer, it must be given and we must not take too long to give it. It is good to be willing and to respond – personally or through a delegated person – if we are contacted by telephone or e-mail. This generates credibility and confidence.
We must keep in mind that journalists must write news — it is their job, they are often obliged to do so if there is a topic that is being talked about — hence, if they do not receive answers that command attention, they naturally tend to develop hypotheses or conjectures, or give their own explanations. We must also realize that today information is a continuous live flow through the network and sites, and there is no time of day to respond, until tomorrow’s newspapers are printed. Therefore, the sooner the answer or correct information is given the better. In general, it is best to channel or guide information by being the first to give it, and not have to run after information that is incorrect.
Be yourself when you communicate
It is important “to be oneself” in communication. Each one has his own personality as communicator. Benedict XVI is different from John Paul II, but he also – as we see increasingly – is able to communicate with his style.
What is important is that it be seen that the one who communicates is a sincere person, who “answers” for what he says, able to transmit convictions and emotions, beyond a cold, bureaucratic and “clerical” language in the negative sense of the term. We must remember that witness and lived experience are generally much more effective messages than conceptual reasoning or long speeches: it is good that our communication also has elements and aspects of this nature.
Nurture your relationship with journalists
An aspect that I consider important to underline is the pastoral care of agents of communication, namely, the relationship with journalists and the personal quality of this relationship.
It is necessary to keep in mind that they are concrete persons, with their human and job problems, with the indications they receive from their directors and that, at times, strongly condition their liberty. To manifest care and understanding of them, to seek occasions to meet, including personally, to invite them to participate in common moments (feast of their patron St. Francis de Sales, World Day of Social Communications, the beginning and end of the pastoral year), in certain very important or dramatic events, or thanking them for the attention shown in certain important events for the ecclesial community. All these are ways to create greater harmony to facilitate mutual confidence and understanding.
In a following article, I will highlight Fr. Lombardi’s comments on communication in a situation of crisis.
That is incredibly well thought out. Thank you for posting it. I had missed it somehow on Zenit, but we do get behind here.
Carleigh