The Catholic Church’s Conciliar Step forward into the World of Social Communication - On the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of the end of Second Vatican Council

Propitujući značenje Drugog vatikanskog koncila za odnos Katoličke crkve prema sredstvima društvenog priopćavanja, članak se fokusira ponajprije na sam koncilski dekret »Inter mirifica«, prvi dekret nekog općeg koncila u povijesti Crkve posvećen sredstvima društvene komunikacije. Prikazana genealogija dekreta te analiza i vrednovanje njegova sadržaja na temelju komentara relevantnih autora ukazuju na svijest tadašnje Crkve o važnosti medija, ali istodobno potvrđuju nužnost Koncila za Crkvu. Nakane dekreta istinski su ostvarene tek u pastoralnom naputku »Communio et progressio«, a na tragu reformnog procesa koji se dogodio samim Koncilom. Tijek sazrijevanja obnovljenog poimanja Crkve i njene uloge u svijetu vidljiv je također iz koncilske prakse odnosa s javnošću koja zauzima važno mjesto pri odgovoru na pitanje stava Koncila prema medijima. Pastoralni naputak »Communio et progressio« istinski je plod Koncila i najpozitivniji crkveni dokument o medijima do danas. U članku se zaključuje da je Drugi vatikanski koncil u tom smislu uistinu značio novo usmjerenje u odnosu Crkve prema medijima društvene komunikacije koje je bilo nužno za njen ulazak u konstruktivno-kritički dijalog sa suvremenim svijetom, snažno obilježenim utjecajem medija. Iz današnje perspektive, kada su još uočljivije opasnosti medija, oba spomenuta dokumenta zajedno zacrtavaju dvije važne strateške smjernice odnosa Crkve prema medijima: prihvaćanje, poštovanje i služenje medijima, s jedne strane, te kritički odnos prema njima, s druge strane.By questioning the meaning of the Second Vatican Council concerning relation of the Catholic Church to means of social communication, the article focuses primarily on the council decree Inter Mirifica, the first decree of a general council in the history of the Church dedicated to media of social communication. Presented genealogy of the decree as well as both analysis and evaluation of its contents, based on comments of relevant authors, indicates the Church’s awareness of the importance of the media at that time, but at the same time confirms the necessity of the Council for the Church. The intentions of the decree are truly realized only in the pastoral instruction Communio et Progressio and in the wake of the reform process which occurred by the Council. The process of maturation of a renewed understanding of the Church and its role in the world is also to be viewed from the point of Council’s practice of public relations, which occupies an important place in responding to the question of stance of the Council towards the media. Pastoral Instruction Communio et Progressio has been indeed the most positive result of the Council and the most positive church document on media until today. The author concludes that the II. Vatican Council really meant a new orientation in relation of the Church to media of social communication that was necessary for its entering into a constructive critical dialogue with the modern world, strongly marked by the influence of the media. From today’s perspective, when dangers of the media are even more noticeable, both of these documents outline two important strategic guidelines for Church’s attitude towards the media: acceptance, respect and use of the media on the one hand and a critical attitude toward them from the other side