At 12:15 today in the Paul VI Hall at the Vatican, His Holiness, Pope Francis met with the Directors and the personnel of RAI-Radiotelevisione Italia as they commemorate the 90th anniversary of their radio transmissions and the 60th anniversary of their television broadcasts.
Today's meeting was introduced by Ms. Anna Maria Tarantola, President of RAI who addressed words of greeting to the Holy Father on behalf of all those who were present. Following these words of greeting, the Holy Father also spoke with those who were present.
Madam President,
Dear Directors and personnel of RAI,
I welcome you all! Thank you to all of you for coming; this is a big family! And thank you to your President for her words, which I appreciated very much.
This meeting is part of the celebration of the 90th anniversary of the radio broadcasting that has been carried out by RAI and the 60th anniversary of television; it is also significant that there are also present among us today, some representatives of other public radio and television networks and related associations from other countries. These two anniversaries offer us an occasion to reflect on the relationship that has existed in recent decades between RAI and the Holy See, and on the value and needs of public service.
The key word that I want to immediately focus on is collaboration. Both in terms of radio and television, the Italian people have always had access to the words, and subsequently to the images of the Pope and the events in the life of the Church in Italy, thanks to the public service rendered by RAI. This collaboration is made possible through the work of two Vatican entities: Vatican Radio and the Vatican Television Centre.
In this way, RAI has offered, and continues to offer to those who make use of this public service, the possibility of following both extraordinary events and events that are part of the daily life of the Vatican. We can think for instance of the Second Vatican Council, the election of popes, or the funeral of Blessed John Paul II; we can also think of the various events of the Great Jubilee of the year 2000, of various celebrations, as well as the Pope's pastoral visits in Italy.
The nineteen fifties and sixties were a time of great growth and development for RAI. It might be good to recall some of the more significant moments: during those decades, RAI covered various events from different parts of the country; in addition, the State-owned company is committed to training its own directors, even in other countries; and finally, production is growing, among the events being broadcast, those of a religious character. We remember for example, Liliana Cavani's Francesco, made in 1966, and the Acts of the Apostles by Roberto Rossellini in 1969, this latter in collaboration with Father Carlo Maria Martini.
Therefore, through these many initiatives, RAI has witnessed the processes of change in Italian society, sometimes through rapid transitions, and has contributed in a special way to the unification of linguistic and cultural Italy.
We thank the Lord for all this and we look forward to continued collaboration. But the memory of a past which is rich in achievements also calls us to a renewed sense of responsibility for the present and the future. The past is the root, history becomes the root of new impetus, the root of present-day challenges and the root of the future, of progress. May the future not find us lacking a sense of responsibility for our own identity. May it find us securely rooted in our history and always looking to the future. To all of you who are here present, and to all of those who for various reasons could not be present for our gathering, I wish to remind you that your responsibility, in addition to reporting information is to form. Yours is a public service, that is a service for the common good. Yours is a service to truth, a service to goodness and a service to beauty. All the people who are part of RAI: directors, journalists, artists, clerks, technicians and craftsmen know that they are part of an agency that produces culture and education, one that offers information and entertainment, reaching out at every moment of the day to a great number of Italians. This is a responsibility that you have toward those who are the owners of this public service, a responsibility that you cannot abdicate for any reason.
The ethical quality of your communication efforts is the fruit of your work. In the final analysis, you contribute to the careful formation of consciences, not in a superficial way, and you are always respectful of people, both those who are the subject of the information you share, and the recipients of the message you proclaim. Each of you in his own role, and according to his own responsibility is called to be vigilant in order to maintain a high level of ethical communication, and to avoid communicating anything which might lead to harm: misinformation, defamation or slander. Maintain a high level of ethics.
To all of you, directors and employees of RAI, and to your families, and also to all the guests who have joined us for this encounter, I want to present my very best wishes for this new year which has only just begun. I encourage you to continue your good work, and to put trust and hope into your work, so that these too can be transmitted: we are in such need of these virtues!
To RAI, to the other networks and associations represented here, I extend the hope that, by pursuing your purpose with determination and perseverance, you may be able to always be at the service of the human, cultural and civil development of society. Thank you.
Today's meeting was introduced by Ms. Anna Maria Tarantola, President of RAI who addressed words of greeting to the Holy Father on behalf of all those who were present. Following these words of greeting, the Holy Father also spoke with those who were present.
Address of His Holiness, Pope Francis
for the meeting with the Directors and personnel
of RAI Radiotelevisione Italia
Madam President,
Dear Directors and personnel of RAI,
I welcome you all! Thank you to all of you for coming; this is a big family! And thank you to your President for her words, which I appreciated very much.
This meeting is part of the celebration of the 90th anniversary of the radio broadcasting that has been carried out by RAI and the 60th anniversary of television; it is also significant that there are also present among us today, some representatives of other public radio and television networks and related associations from other countries. These two anniversaries offer us an occasion to reflect on the relationship that has existed in recent decades between RAI and the Holy See, and on the value and needs of public service.
The key word that I want to immediately focus on is collaboration. Both in terms of radio and television, the Italian people have always had access to the words, and subsequently to the images of the Pope and the events in the life of the Church in Italy, thanks to the public service rendered by RAI. This collaboration is made possible through the work of two Vatican entities: Vatican Radio and the Vatican Television Centre.
In this way, RAI has offered, and continues to offer to those who make use of this public service, the possibility of following both extraordinary events and events that are part of the daily life of the Vatican. We can think for instance of the Second Vatican Council, the election of popes, or the funeral of Blessed John Paul II; we can also think of the various events of the Great Jubilee of the year 2000, of various celebrations, as well as the Pope's pastoral visits in Italy.
The nineteen fifties and sixties were a time of great growth and development for RAI. It might be good to recall some of the more significant moments: during those decades, RAI covered various events from different parts of the country; in addition, the State-owned company is committed to training its own directors, even in other countries; and finally, production is growing, among the events being broadcast, those of a religious character. We remember for example, Liliana Cavani's Francesco, made in 1966, and the Acts of the Apostles by Roberto Rossellini in 1969, this latter in collaboration with Father Carlo Maria Martini.
Therefore, through these many initiatives, RAI has witnessed the processes of change in Italian society, sometimes through rapid transitions, and has contributed in a special way to the unification of linguistic and cultural Italy.
We thank the Lord for all this and we look forward to continued collaboration. But the memory of a past which is rich in achievements also calls us to a renewed sense of responsibility for the present and the future. The past is the root, history becomes the root of new impetus, the root of present-day challenges and the root of the future, of progress. May the future not find us lacking a sense of responsibility for our own identity. May it find us securely rooted in our history and always looking to the future. To all of you who are here present, and to all of those who for various reasons could not be present for our gathering, I wish to remind you that your responsibility, in addition to reporting information is to form. Yours is a public service, that is a service for the common good. Yours is a service to truth, a service to goodness and a service to beauty. All the people who are part of RAI: directors, journalists, artists, clerks, technicians and craftsmen know that they are part of an agency that produces culture and education, one that offers information and entertainment, reaching out at every moment of the day to a great number of Italians. This is a responsibility that you have toward those who are the owners of this public service, a responsibility that you cannot abdicate for any reason.
The ethical quality of your communication efforts is the fruit of your work. In the final analysis, you contribute to the careful formation of consciences, not in a superficial way, and you are always respectful of people, both those who are the subject of the information you share, and the recipients of the message you proclaim. Each of you in his own role, and according to his own responsibility is called to be vigilant in order to maintain a high level of ethical communication, and to avoid communicating anything which might lead to harm: misinformation, defamation or slander. Maintain a high level of ethics.
To all of you, directors and employees of RAI, and to your families, and also to all the guests who have joined us for this encounter, I want to present my very best wishes for this new year which has only just begun. I encourage you to continue your good work, and to put trust and hope into your work, so that these too can be transmitted: we are in such need of these virtues!
To RAI, to the other networks and associations represented here, I extend the hope that, by pursuing your purpose with determination and perseverance, you may be able to always be at the service of the human, cultural and civil development of society. Thank you.
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