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A Pauline Centenary Pastoral Tool

EUCHARISTIC ADORATION, n. 10***

EUCHARISTIC ADORATION: “THE PAULINE FAMILY IN PRAYER FOR THE MASS MEDIA”

For July 2014 or any other suitable date

PREPARATORY ACTIVITY

N.B. At any convenient day/time before the Eucharistic Adoration, the Pauline member/community may do the following activity.

Part 1: PERSONAL OR GROUP READING

Some or all of the following articles on “The Influence and the Impact of the Mass Media” may be read individually or as a community.

Article 1: Eugene H. Methvin, “TV Violence: The Shocking New Evidence” (cf. Readers Digest February 1983, p. 86-90)

San Diego: A high-school honor student watches a lurid ABC-TV fictionalization of the 1800s Lizzie Borden as a murder case: then chops his own parents and sister to death and leaves his brother a quadriplegic.

Denver: The Deer Hunt is telecast and a 17-year-old kills himself with a revolver, acting out the movie’s climactic game of Russian roulette. He is the 25th viewer in two years to kill himself that way after watching the drama on TV.

Decatur, Ill.: A 12-year-old overdoses on sleeping pills after her mother forbids her to date a 16-year-old boy. “What gave you the idea of suicide?” an investigating psychiatrist asks. The answer: A little girl tried it on a TV show, was quickly revived and welcomed back by her parents with open arms.

Ten years ago, after studying massive research on the subject, the U.S. Surgeon General, Jesse L. Steinfield, declared: “The causal relationship between televised violence and antisocial behavior is sufficient to warrant immediate remedial action.” (…)

Last May, the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) issued a report summarizing over 2500 studies done in the last decade on television’s influence on behavior. Evidence from the studies – with more than 100,000 subjects in dozens of nations – is so “overwhelming”. The NIMH found, that there is a consensus in the research community “that violence on television lead to aggressive behavior”. (…)

Article 2: Ma. Ceres P. Doyo, “What Makes a Pedophile?” (in Philippine Panorama, July 2, 1985, p. 8-9, 60)

Pedophilia – a sexual perversion in which children are the preferred sexual objects. Pedophile – one affected with pedophilia. (…)

Feminists who have made studies on pornography have come to discover that pedophilia is not just psychogenetic in origin but is also a result of the fact that it is being promoted, if not encouraged, through subtleties in media.

Judith Bat-Aida, a mass media expert who has done extensive research on media’s influence on sex, says (in an interview with Laura Lederer, editor of the famous book Take Back the Night: Women on Pornography):

Saturation with straight forward female sexual stimulus leads slowly but inevitably to the need for, and acceptance of, such things as sexual molestation, incest and sexual violence. Hard core pornography is like any other marketed product – it needs to be revamped periodically to stimulate flagging sales … Now the American media have moved to the acceptance of pedophilia.

The acceptance of pedophilia requires the blurring of age distinctions between mature women, teens, adolescents, and children … Playboy magazine uses what I call “ground breakers” for the construction of new attitudes. These ground breakers include cartoons, skillfully contrived photographs, and an extensive use of symbols which are aimed at invading both the conscious and the unconscious mind. A few examples will help the reader understand how it is done.

One favorite technique is to publish photographs of women simulating children or imitating children and their behavior. For example, the April 1976 cover of Playboy magazine featured a very young-looking female seated on a stool surrounded by Teddy Bears, Raggedy Ann Dolls, and wearing patent leather Sunday-School shoes and a “virgin-white” petticoat, while the word “virginity” appeared to the right of the picture in another context. Pictures of women in these childhood trappings combined with glaring erotic exposure pave the way for real sexual abuse of children.”

Article 3: “There Is Much Good News to Be Proclaimed”, Pope John Paul II’s Address to Journalists on March 21, 1985

There is much good news to be proclaimed: the good news of what the Church is doing in the name of Jesus; the good news of what individual Christians are doing for the love of Jesus. It is written of Saint Ignatius of Loyola that his life was changed through the reading of the life of Christ and the lives of the saints. The good news of what the saints had done through the power of Jesus led him to ask himself why he could not do the same in the name of Jesus – ad maiorem Dei gloriam – for the greater glory of God. Lives can be changed by the written word; individuals can be converted to Christ or to ever greater union with him through knowing how he is imitated in the lives of others.

Article 4: “Social Media in 2013: The Influence and Impact of the Individual on Digital Communications” (An article circulated on the Internet)

An organization’s ability to communicate has changed drastically from the “dial-up 90s” to the broadband and fiber world of today. In the mid-90s, a communications campaign included newspaper ads, radio spots or talk show appearances. While a modern communications campaign may still include some or all of the above, there is a brand new factor to take into considerations: the social media chatter of the entire planet. (…)

Today, there are roughly one billion active Facebook users, 343 million Google+ users, 200 million LinkedIn users and 500 million Twitter users. Now, let’s change the word “users” to “influencers”. That’s more than a billion influencers who have the power to help or harm your business goals.

Article 5: Anna Nussbaum Keating, “Losing My Religions: Our Digital Selves” (in AMERICA, November 22, 2010, p. 19)

Perhaps if ordinary people were publicly Catholic or Christian in their daily lives and online, that would dispel some of the stereotypes and make the civic discourses on faith more fruitful, more authentic, more varied, more nuanced. I spoke to one Catholic woman who told me she viewed her Facebook profile as an “apostolate”. She shares her musings about her love of the church right alongside her love of kickboxing. The transition, for her, was seamless. She is not aggressive in her posts, but it’s clear that she is deeply committed to her local parish.

Article 6: Pope Francis’ Message for World Communications Day 2014

Let us boldly become citizens of the digital world. The Church needs to be concerned for, and present in, the world of communication in order to dialogue with people today and to help them encounter Christ. She needs to be a Church at the side of others, capable of accompanying everyone along the way. The revolution taking place in communication media and in information technologies represents a great and thrilling challenge: may we respond to that challenge with fresh energy and imagination as we seek to share with others the beauty of God.

Part 2: PERSONAL REFLECTION (and a GROUP DISCUSSION may follow.)

The Pauline may reflect on the personal impact and the apostolic implication of the mass media in today’s world. The PDDM Sisters may especially reflect on “My Task of Reparation and Intercession for the Means of Social Communication”.

Part 3: PERSONALLY COMPOSED PRAYER FOR THE MASS MEDIA

Based on the above reflections (and discussion), make and write a prayer for the mass media that can be offered and shared in the Eucharistic Adoration.

Part 4: CONCLUDING PRAYER: “Prayer for the Apostolate of the Means of Social Communication” (cf. The Prayers of the Pauline Family, p. 241)

The Concluding Prayer may be prayed individually or as a community.

EUCHARISTIC ADORATION

(+) Jesus Master …

SONG: “I Am the Truth” (cf. The Prayers of the Pauline Family, p. 345)

or another suitable song

PRAYER: Cf. Chaplet to Jesus the Good Shepherd, n. 1, The Prayers …, p. 130

FIRST READING: Rom 10:9-18 “How will they hear without someone preaching? How will they preach unless they are sent?”

SILENCE - PERSONAL REFLECTION

RESPONSORIAL PSALM: Psalm 19:2-3, 4-5

(R.) Their message goes out through all the earth.

ALLELUIA – GOSPEL: Mk 16:15-20 “Go into the whole world and preach the Gospel.”

PERSONAL REFLECTION and/or HOMILY

WORDS OF BLESSED ALBERIONE

Wanting even more is that spiritual bread that Jesus Christ has brought us from heaven, and which is He himself: “I am the bread of life.” Numerous people live totally of their destiny … The apostle of the editions is another Jesus Christ who repeats to men of all times and places what Jesus Christ preached in his temporal life. (cf. San Paolo, April 1952)

All for the apostolate: you Pauline men and women, Editorial, technical, diffusion. Publications in print, movies, radio, television. God wants it; the Church wants it; and we also want it. The sons and daughters receive the inheritance of the Father. Sons and daughters receive with joy the inheritance of the Father, of St. Paul, his wisdom, his counsel, his example of every virtue, his spirit of piety, his zeal for all the souls, for all the peoples. Always bear in mind the different countries: there are no races, but only souls created for heaven and redeemed by the blood of Christ; and Jesus invites all to his school: “Venite ad me omnes.” May the light of Jesus Christ illumine us, may the power of the Father comfort and support us, may the infusion of the Holy Spirit console and sanctify us. (cf. San Paolo, April 1953)

SILENCE – PERSONAL REFLECTION

PRAYER: “Pauline Offertory” (cf. The Prayers …, p. 46)

SONG: “Ascend Through the Ages” (cf. The Prayers of the Pauline Family, p. 350)

or another suitable song

WORDS OF BLESSED ALBERIONE TO THE PDDM

Pray that the modern means of communication: the radio, movies, television, art and sculpture, and all the means used to communicate thoughts – may be conformed to the Gospel, to Christian principle and to upright reason. (cf. APD 1958, 16)

Make reparation for the sins committed through the modern means of communication: press, radio, film, etc. (cf. APD 1947, 118)

We remember the souls of those who on earth abused the technical means of communication: press, movies, radio, television, etc. For example, reading bad news, printing evil things, writing evil things, etc., or watching movies that disturbed their spirit and disoriented their life. We could say the same about radio and television … There are movie productions which are supported by rich people … We pray for them to be freed from purgatory and once in Paradise may they intercede for all those on earth who work in the apostolate of editions, using the modern means for spreading the gospel. (cf. APD 1961, 276)

SILENCE – PERSONAL REFLECTION

PRAYER: “Chaplet for the Poor Souls in Purgatory”, n. 2 (cf. The Prayers …, p. 140)

PERSONALLY COMPOSED PRAYER FOR THE MASS MEDIA

The prayer that has been composed in the Preparatory Activity may now be offered and shared.

SONG: “I Am the Way” (cf. The Prayers of the Pauline Family, p. 347)

or another suitable song

EXAMINATION OF THE HEART – PERSONAL RESOLUTION

PRAYER: “Invocations to Jesus Master” (cf. The Prayers …, p. 214)

SONG: “I am the Life” (cf. The Prayers of the Pauline Family, p. 349)

or another suitable song

ROSARY: The Rosary, in part or in full, may be prayed.

CONCLUDING PRAYER: “Consecration of the Apostolate” (cf. The Prayers …, p. 223)

EUCHARISTIC BENEDICTION may follow.

FINAL SONG: “All that Is Hidden” (Bernadette Farrell) or another suitable song

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ARCHIVES: Cf. PDDM website: www.pddm.us and click on the icon “Pauline Centenary Pastoral Tools” for the following back issues of Adoration guides.

1. Adoration Guide for October 2013: Feast of the Divine Master: “JESUS MASTER: He Imparts the Light of Faith”

2. Adoration Guide for November 2013: At the Conclusion of the Year of Faith: “Light of Faith”

3. Adoration Guide for New Year’s Eve 2013: “The Word Became Flesh … The Word Became Bread”

4. Adoration Guide for January 2014: Feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul: “Saint Paul’s Mistica-Metanoia-Missio Experience”

5. Adoration Guide for February 2014: On the 90th Anniversary of the PDDM Foundation (February 10, 2014): “Jesus Is Your Only Love”

6. Adoration Guide for March 2014: “Rich Because We Are Poor” (Lent 2014)

7. Adoration Guide for the Birthday of Blessed Alberione: “Lord, Glorify Him In Your Church”

8. Adoration Guide for May 2014: “Rogate Dominum Messis … Pray the Lord of the Harvest”

9. Adoration Guide for June 2014: “Saint Paul: The Saint of Universality

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Prepared by Sr. Mary Margaret Tapang, PDDM
3700 North Cornelia Avenue
Fresno, CA-U.S.A.
Tel. (559) 275-9978