Rob Colquhoun

 

 

There has been a couple of stories this year that have been spun out of nowhere – creating issues that were never there in the first place. The first example would be Pope Benedict’s quotation of a Byzantine Emperor which caused a furore. This quotation was given in an academic lecture (the rest of which was fascinating yet ignored) and the media, led by the BBC news website turned the issue into allegedly being insulting to Muslims. The fact that the whole issue developed 24 hours after the lecture rather than immediately showed how fabricated the story was. The manipulation of the story by the BBC online news incited hatred and mistrust, damaging religious dialogue. It is a desperate shame when somebody steals your words and then changes them into something they weren’t.

 

The second example of a story which is not really a story is the case of the BA worker who was not allowed to wear her cross necklace at work. This argument is really about company uniform and not about Christianity. Wearing jewellery is a breach of company uniform guidelines and therefore that’s what the issue is about. The problem about the distortion of these stories is that we are being fed lies rather than truthful and important stories about what’s really going on in the world (such as Darfur and serious problems in Africa). The media has such a prominent place in society that it has the power to influence how people think and act. Abuse of this power sows hatred and evil.

 

The media now is in the position that the Church was a few hundred years ago – in the very centre of society, organising, influencing and making things happen. The only problem is that media executives don’t have your interests at heart- they just want your money or to make a good story to fill their space they have to fill. Regardless of what the media says, and despite the sinfulness of its members, the Church does have peoples’ interests at heart and is willing to serve and help people.

 

In the last 10 years we have had the proliferation of a celebrity culture- worshipping and glorifying the rich and famous (who are probably thoroughly annoyed at being deified, some perhaps might lap it up). I find this whole culture disturbing and distasteful. It runs on gossip, is spiteful and intrusive on those in the spotlight. Without the creator, the creature must be worshipped (in the absence of anything else). The majority of British newspapers are full of drivel and most of them are not making a profit at all. I expect a couple of big names will fold within a couple of years as the market has been shrivelled thanks to the internet. Good riddance I say!

 

ZENIT is the best news agency in the world! No only is it predominantly run on charity, it sends emails to hundreds of thousands of people in the world informing them of what is really happening in the Church- free from manipulation and error. The service is reliable, accurate, informative and very interesting. If only other media companies could be like this! I am constantly amazed at the inaccuracy of people’s factual knowledge of the Church- believers and non believers alike- and it is largely down to the media for this disinformation.

 

This year I have deepened my understanding of pastoral ministry from the variety of experiences that I have been sent to. Over the summer I helped in SS Michael and Martin, Hounslow for 2 weeks and for this academic year I am assisting in St Bernadette, Hillingdon with Fr James Garvey. I also went on the diocesan pilgrimage to Lourdes this year, a thoroughly enjoyable and exhausting experience!
As a student for the priesthood, observance and assistance are the main objectives in a parish assignment in the first year. It is an opportunity to see how the demands and opportunities of pastoral work are best responded to and also to help expand my understanding of ministry. One can put the theory and the theology of the seminary into practical examples and experiences.
Many of the parishes in London have great diversity and thriving communities. It is a privilege to be a seminarian training to serve the Church and build the kingdom and God. Over this year it has been a joy to deepen my vision of Priesthood as being a servant of God, serving the people of God and being a steward of the mysteries of God (1 Cor 4:1).