Bishops’ statements

THE CBCP statement has just come out. A regular product of our bishops’ plenary meetings every January, this year’s statement is entitled, “Reform yourselves and believe in the gospel.”

It’s a call to curb our penchant to blame others for our socio-political problems. Change starts with one’s own self, and this time that change should focus on everyone developing a true Christian social conscience, concerned about the common good, etc., etc.

Through the years, these statements have acquired tremendous importance. And many sectors, especially the press, have learned to look forward to them.

A good part of the reason for this expectation is the largely political element which these statements are now known to have. The media, in fact, vulture-wait for it for that purpose.

Give them a mainly doctrinal-spiritual statement, they will wilt in disappointment. It’s clear they prefer action, drama, blood, revolution to any reminder about prayer, reflection, internal change and quiet social transformation.

This just shows that the Church, which means all of us, needs to more actively evangelize the media. Also, that our bishops should correct the perception in the media that they’re leaning more on social issues than on spiritual ones.

As we all know by now, when the statement came out, the media practically dismissed it as a big letdown to those who wanted the president’s ouster.

Imagine, all the bishops’ praying and discussion just boiling down to that, just amounting to that! Really quite unfair of the media.

But the media are not only to blame. There are things that need to be corrected. We just have to identify them clearly and try to provide the adequate solutions. Like:

- There has to be a more expert way on the part of the bishops in handling the media. Their spokesmen and communication personnel should have a well-developed plan to assure a fair exposure of the true spirit and intent of their statements.

What I see is improvisation and little-coordinated communication efforts, with hardly any follow-ups. There’s also an abiding fatalistic attitude, saying that the media will always be sensational, unfair, biased. This perception should rather rouse Church officials to action.

- We have to erase or minimize the mainly political character of these statements. It’s giving wrong signals to many people, something that the media, of course, is quick to capitalize.

Instead, bishops should be more pro-active than reactive, concentrating on a systematic way of evangelizing our socio-economic and political issues, constantly echoing the Church’s social doctrine. This has to be given more visibility and resonance.

- There should be more and better consultants in the fields of sociology, economics, politics, etc. to give bishops helpful professional advice. In this way, the bishops’ views can acquire greater depth and reach finer nuances, and thus minimize misunderstandings and increase their credibility.

Let’s remember that we are now in a highly information-dependent world. The media today is our new Areopagus, a market abuzz with ideas and views. We have to adapt to this new environment.

Communication styles that worked before, on much simpler and more homogeneous audiences, may not click now. At best they can be retired, placed perhaps in some museum. We have to find more appropriate ways in sync with today’s mentalities.

The apocalyptic, fire-and-brimstone style is definitely obsolete. People nowadays pay more attention to gentler styles, freed of condescending tones, that combine prompt practicality and deep spirituality.

They prefer lighter if more often reminders than occasional but severe and imperial ones. The latter discourage interaction. In this regard, Pope Benedict’s flowing style is worth emulating. He even used anecdotes in his last encyclical, softening its brick-like content.

People like to see their bishops as having a hands-on approach to practical problems. They are getting increasingly impatient with simply being preached to or told the last word.

For this, people actually just want to be encouraged, reminded about being patient, fair and balanced in their assessments of things, having good manners, etc. They appreciate these things more than seeing their bishops getting involved in partisan positions.