THE Pope urged the world’s media yesterday to promote “justice and solidarity” and the “moral good”, observing that journalists and communicators are “in need of Christ’s redemption”.

The Pope, whose skill at using the media in his 26-year reign has earned him the title “The Great Communicator”, said that the media, including the internet, offered a “precious aid for spreading the Gospel and religious values”, but this was “not an easy mission in an age such as ours, which is convinced that the time of certainties is irretrievably past”. The modern world was all too easily distracted by “the provisional and fleeting”.

He added: “Modern technologies increase to a remarkable extent the speed, quality and accessibility of communciation, but do not favour that delicate exchange which takes place between mind and mind, heart and heart.”

The Pope urged Christians not to be afraid of new technologies.

Archbishop John Foley, president of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, when challenged on Vatican secrecy, insisted that the Vatican believed in “transparency” but said that some matters were “reserved”.

The Pope’s remarks were contained in an apostolic letter entitled The Rapid Development: to those responsible for Communications. He cited a text from St Matthew: “What I say to you in the darkness, speak in the light; what you hear whispered, proclaim it on the housetops.” The media, he said, must do this “responsibly”.

The letter was aimed partly at showing that the frail 84-year-old Pope is still active, despite being rushed to hospital three weeks ago with acute breathing difficulties.

On Sunday he was able to deliver his Angelus address unaided in a clear voice.

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