Fostering a social and political culture inspired by the Gospel is an area of importance for the lay faithful. The work of the laity in these areas have never been solely the change of social structures, but includes the voice of faith and morals. It is this voice that forms a basis for concrete social and cultural planning. Thus, the Church must present the entirety of the Faith in a manner that is culturally up-to-date.
The end of this social/cultural involvement is the perfection of the human person and the good to society as a whole. Each human has the right to a human and civil culture. I would emphasized this statement, for it illustrates why the Church speaks so forcefully in the defense of life, marriage and family. It also explains why the Church is voicing its concerns regarding the protection of the environment.
The Church has great concern for the content of culture. The content of culture must be truth. There must be an openness to the truth, an openness which is guaranteed by recognizing that different cultures are different ways of facing the question of the meaning of personal existence.
Use of the media is a powerful instrument in the development of solidarity among peoples, a solidarity that is formed by genuine and correct communication and the free circulation of ideas. Those who are in the field of media have serious responsibilities and obligations, and need to heed the words of St. Paul “…putting away falsehood, let everyone speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another..” (Eph 4:25)
For an extensive discussion of this topic, refer to the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, nos. 554-562.
