This presentation provides the context for Pope Francis' 12 points + on media, media literacy education, communication, technology and the family in his 2016 document "Amoris Laetitia." It will provide insight and practical applications to the family and faith formation.

1. The Grand
Illusion:
Pope Francis
on Family,
Media ,
Technology &
Communication
(and Media
Literacy
Education)
Sr. Rose Pacatte, FSP
Pauline Center for Media Studies
2018
Diocese of Reno
BeMediaMindful.org

4. Family values!

5. Amoris Laetitia: The Joy of Love

7. • 1st woman to
get a PhD in
computer
science: Sr. M
Kenneth Keller,
BVM (1913 –
1985)

8. Amoris Laetitia:
The Joy of Love
• Jubilee Year of Mercy
• An invitation to Christian
families
– To value the gifts of marriage and
family
– To persevere in love strengthened
by virtues of generosity,
commitment, fidelity, patience
• To be a sign of mercy and grace

9. The family through the lens of
theology, communication,
community, family, media and
technology

10. Families: which one are you?
• Suffering?
• Bloodshed?
• Disputes?
• Discord?

11. What kind of family are you?
• Poor?
• Physical illness?
• Mental illness?
• Old age?
• Death of a child?
• Loss of a spouse?
• Sick child?
• Ungrateful child?
• Sinners?
• Unemployment?
• Disappointment?
• Checking for lost
change?

12. Not enough wine?

13. Welcome to the Bible!

14. Why does Pope Francis
describe these realities “the
path of suffering and of
blood?”?
• Scriptures as a source of
comfort and tenderness
• To see, to experience grace and
mercy

15. The family around the table

17. Rublev’s Trinity: comunio

21. Influence of the media
Cultural decline
• Extreme individualism
• Isolationism
• Consumerism
• Disconnected love
• Disposable relationships
• Narcissism
• Using others as objects
• Too many life options?
• Material poverty, war

22. Misuse of the internet
• Spread of pornography
• Commercialization of the body
• Leading to prostitution
• Sexual abuse of children
• Sex trafficking

23. Crisis of relationships
• Destabilization of the family
• Divorce
• Complex new family situations
• Bio-technology and limitation of births =
economic destabilization
• Addictions
• Distractions
• Aggression
• Violence

24. Great poverty of
contemporary culture:
Loneliness

26. It is difficult to raise children

27. And then you add media &
technology to it

28. Francis sees the legal
destruction of the family and
the autonomy of the individual
will
The role of media, social and
otherwise, for the good and not

29. Family is a communion of
persons

30. Spousal love and sexuality
is a communion and
communication of love

31. Marriage is more than a
fleeting fashion; it is of
enduring importance

32. The joy of family:
welcoming, hospitable
• “Ah, how you will delight the angels”
• Babette’s Feast

34. Media is one of the educators
of children of the domestic
church
• Must be responsible
• Producers and consumers
• Parents

35. The role of the father
• Absent fathers
• Man caves
• If fathers want respect they
have to be part of their
children’s lives

37. How are we to judge
media and carry out
communication in the
family and in society?

38. Media Literacy Education
Media Mindfulness
• Access: Ask questions
• Evaluate: Deconstruct (what’s
going on? What’s really going
on?
• Analyze: Why pains? Who
gains? What Christian values
are presented or ignored?
• Act: What action does the story,
message ask of me?

40. Theological reflection
• We ask questions through the lens of
faith
• We look, listen, reflect, wonder,
analyze, think, assess, discern,
dialogue with our family and friends
as ways to understand life
• Theological reflection refocuses on
strengthening our relationship with
God and others

42. As at home so often outside the
home and online

43. The formula (think )
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not
envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It
does not dishonor others, it is not self-
seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no
record of wrongs. Love does not delight in
evil but rejoices with the truth. It always
protects, always trusts, always hopes,
always perseveres. 1 Cor 13: 4-7

45. Love is not rude
irritable or resentful

46. What does media
mindfulness teach?
• Empathy, always empathy
• Dialogue
• Respect
• Don’t demean others
• Appreciate differences
• Motivate decisions
• Appreciate emotions! We live in
a world of emotions!
• Emojis and emoticons!

48. Family communion:
comunio

49. What is the Grand Illusion of
which Pope Francis speaks?

50. The Grand Illusion
• Thinking that technology will
save us, will fill up the
emptiness or fulfill the longing
for God in our hearts.
• Don’t run out and buy the latest
thing to make your kids happy
because it simply won’t last.

52. Amoris Laetitia: The joy of Love
• God dwells in the hearts of
those living in grace.
• The Trinity is present in marital
communion.
• If a family is centered on Christ,
he will illumine its entire life.

53. Welcoming, hospitable
• When a family is welcoming and
reaches out to others, especially the
poor and the neglected, it is “a symbol,
witness and participant in the Church’s
motherhood”.

54. • Social love, as a reflection of the
Trinity, is what truly unifies the
spiritual meaning of the family and
its mission to others, for it makes
present the kerygma in all its
communal imperatives.
• The family lives its spirituality
precisely by being at one and the
same time a domestic church and a
vital cell for transforming the world.

55. World Communication Day 2018
• Theme:
‘Fake news’ and journalism for peace.
“The truth will set you free”

56. Prayer to the Holy Family
• Jesus, Mary and Joseph,
in you we contemplate
the splendor of true love; to you
we turn with trust.

57. • Holy Family of Nazareth,
grant that our families too
may be places of communion
and prayer, authentic schools of
the Gospel and small domestic
churches.

58. • Holy Family of Nazareth,
may families never again
experience violence, rejection
and division; may all who have
been hurt or scandalized find
ready comfort and healing.

59. • Holy Family of Nazareth,
make us once more mindful
of the sacredness and
inviolability of the family, and its
beauty in God’s plan.
Jesus, Mary and Joseph,
Graciously hear our prayer.
Amen.

60. BeMediaMindful.org
• Advanced Certificate in Media
Literacy five weekends in 2018