Priest criticises church reaction to `valid' media interest in scandals

A senior Catholic priest has criticised church reaction "to the legitimate media interest in various scandals". He described that reaction as "hesitant, haphazard and at times confusing".

The episcopal vicar for communications in the diocese of Ferns and parish priest in Castlebridge, Co Wexford, Father Walter Forde, called on all churches to undertake "a new engagement with the media and a return to the market-place to preach the Gospel". He also called for "a more positive view to the Irish secular press".

Father Forde was speaking at the Religious Press Association annual awards ceremony in Dublin yesterday, where he received the main award for services to the religious press over many years.

Irish Times staff photographer Frank Miller received the "best photo on a religious theme in the secular press" award for his picture of the President, Mrs McAleese, taking communion in Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin, last December 7th.

Mr Sean O Conaill, a retired teacher who lives in Coleraine, Co Derry, won the award for "the best article on a religious topic in the secular media" for a piece published in this newspaper's Rite And Reason column last February 3rd. It argued that "the advance of liberal secularism is God's verdict on Catholic hierarchical paternalism". Mr O Conaill also won the overall "best article award" for a piece on "Secularism and an adult Church" published in the Furrow last October.

In his comments yesterday Father Forde pointed out that moving into the market-place would mean "greatly increased accountability on the part of the church and willingness to take the consequences publicly for deeds and actions, silences and omissions. Transparent and regular communications mean being willing to let failure and disagreement be revealed." Calling for a more positive attitude to the Irish secular media, he said he had "never heard any public acknowledgment of the fact that the mainstream Irish-based media have generally avoided the sensationalism, gross inaccuracy and sheer stupidity of the British tabloids". More specifically, he considered there has been little appreciation here of efforts by the media to avoid "a casual, careless or indifferent approach to the public it served".

However, he noted "too much stereotyped thinking (in the media) about the church and too many stories about churchy things". He called for a new interchurch weekly paper to replace individual denominational papers, as "an ideal response by the churches to the imperative of the Good Friday Agreement and a fitting millennium project."

Other award-winners yesterday included Intercom magazine for the best cover; Reality magazine for the best overall design; The Messenger for the best series; and the best diocesan publication award went to The Fold. The Stephen Hilliard best newsletter award was won by the St John's News newsletter issue of April/May, published in Coolock parish in Dublin where the rector is the Rev James Carroll.