As I have said before, there are many people who choose not to watch the news because it is full of negativity. I myself watch the news less than I used to because of the negativity along with seeing a bias in the news that is being reporting. I still try to stay informed of what is going on in the world but it is not easy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I would like to think that the news agencies aren\u2019t deliberately being negative. Rather, they are simply looking for eye-catching headlines that gets people\u2019s attention. If you look at the news on the internet, which headline would you be more likely to click on, \u201cPolice help at soup kitchen\u201d or \u201cPolice kill wrong person in a raid\u201d? (The same may be asked about \u201cgossip\u201d.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Of course, we can also look at how they portray a story. We all have our own way of looking at things but we need to be careful how our personal \u201cbias\u201d influences what we look at. For instance, I am very much pro-life. That does not mean that I should \u201ccancel\u201d out every<\/u><\/em><\/strong>thing said by anyone who is not pro-life. We must listen for valid points they might say on other issues. I might agree with one person on pro-life issues while taking a very different position than the same person on another issue like immigration. Even on pro-life issues we need to be aware of their arguments such as concern for the woman\u2019s health in a difficult pregnancy. Abortion is never a good thing. While working for an end to all abortions, we must be attentive to the mother\u2019s health as well as the baby\u2019s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In his encyclical, Fratelli Tutti<\/a>,<\/em> Pope Francis talks about those who seek out news that agrees with them and declare that news to be right and do not listen to any other perspective.\u00a0 I wrote four articles (see my page \u201cOur Relationships With Others\u201d<\/a>) reflecting on Fratelli Tutti<\/a><\/em>.\u00a0 To my point today two of those articles, \u201cOur Relationships with One Another\u201d<\/a> and \u201cSeeking Real Dialogue\u201d<\/a>, are relevant and I encourage you to read them if you have not read them in the past.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n The \u201ccancel culture\u201d seen in many today where they simply tune out anyone who disagrees with them is not good.\u00a0 In the articles I mentioned above I develop this more.\u00a0 For today\u2019s purpose I offer the following quote from Pope Francis in Fratelli Tutti<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n When individuals or groups are consistent in their thinking, defend their values and convictions, and develop their arguments, this surely benefits society. Yet, this can only occur to the extent that there is genuine dialogue and openness to others (203, emphasis added).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Before I drift any further from my original intent, I return to the idea of negativity in the news.\u00a0 Sometimes, we have to keep paying attention to news that we don\u2019t like to find hope.\u00a0 For instance, I have been very disappointed of the Catholic Church in Germany has taken in the last couple of years in its ongoing synod (see Catholic News Agency \u201cGerman Synodal Way\u201d<\/a>).\u00a0 However, I find some hope in this week\u2019s news that they have halted a vote on their next step at the Vatican\u2019s request (see Jonathan Liedl, National Catholic Register <\/em>as posted on Catholic News Agency, \u201cGerman bishops halt move toward establishing a Synodal Council at Vatican\u2019s request\u201d February 17, 2024.\u00a0 https:\/\/www.catholicnewsagency.com\/news\/256878\/german-bishops-halt-move-toward-establishing-a-synodal-council-at-vaticans-request<\/a>.)\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Prayer does work if we pray in accord with God\u2019s Will. Fulfilling God\u2019s Will requires us to realize that all people are children of God. There is good in each person. There is always hope with God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are deceitful people.\u00a0 Here I think of the recent news story of a LGBT activist\u2019s funeral that was held in St. Patrick\u2019s Cathedral in New York City.\u00a0 Other LGBT activists tried to seize this story to say the Catholic Church is finally changing it position on LGBT.\u00a0 Meanwhile, Catholics who affirm Catholic teaching on LGBT issues were lamenting the news.\u00a0 When the truth came out, the parish had no idea that the person was a LGBT person\/activist.\u00a0 They were asked to do a funeral and they did it in compassion.\u00a0 The person who was in charge of the funeral arrangements admits they never said anything to the church about the person\u2019s lifestyle choices.\u00a0 Once the parish and the Archdiocese found out the truth, they clarified their agreement with Catholic teaching and offered a Mass of Reparation (see Daniel Payne, \u201cSt. Patrick\u2019s Cathedral offers reparation Mass after \u2018scandalous\u2019 funeral for trans activist,\u201d February 17, 2024 at https:\/\/www.catholicnewsagency.com\/news\/256876\/pastor-of-st-patricks-cathedral-responds-to-scandalous-funeral-for-transgender-activist<\/a> and look for related stories.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n A funeral should never be about advancing an agenda, political or personal. A Catholic funeral service is meant to recognize that Jesus Christ gave his life on the Cross so that all who believe in him as they way and the truth and the life<\/em> will be welcomed into the heavenly kingdom. There is hope when we set aside our own agendas in favor of God\u2019s Will. Catholics who hold to our Catholic teaching on LGBT issues may have been initially disheartened at the news of this funeral (I was) but we find hope in knowing the parish was trying to do the right thing, not advance an ideology contrary to Catholic teaching.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are deceitful people in the world. There are also good people. We can struggle to know God\u2019s Will and to actually do it. However, it is possible when we turn our hearts to God. Every time a saint is canonized, it shows that there are good people in this world. Every time a saint is canonized, it is proof that miracles still happen because the canonization of a saint requires that two miracles have been proven through their intercession.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When you hear bad news that makes you cry, know that you do not cry alone. God cries with you. When you pray for God to make things better, ask him what He wants you to do to help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Peace,<\/p>\n\n\n\n Fr. Jeff<\/p>\n\n\n\n P.S. My website has been undergoing a major redesign in its appearance that will be public any day now. As that change happens, some of the links to my own website in this article may not work. If you have any problems using the links, please use the comment link below to let me know.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" As I have said before, there are many people who choose not to watch the news because it is full of negativity. I myself watch the news less than I used to because of the negativity along with seeing a bias in the news that is being reporting. I still try to stay informed of …<\/p>\n