Depending on which historical source you cite, either John F. Kennedy or Franklin D. Roosevelt is credited with saying that the American public, most of them anyway, believe they know how to do two things:
They believe they know how to run schools, and they also think they know how to run the media, especially newspapers.
The presidents are also credited with saying that the truth is the public, most of them anyway, don’t know how to do either.
There has been, in recent weeks, a good bit of local news in which the word “Catholic” has been mentioned, and that news has been largely negative. On various social media sources the local church has taken a verbal beating, often unfairly.
And almost inevitably, discussions about the news have led some to say “why isn’t there more good news in the paper; why is the news always bad?”
That criticism misses the point, the reason for existence, of mass communications. The job is to inform the public, to provide them with information that will allow them to possess a good knowledge of their environment, information that will allow them to make good decisions about their own future.
To say that the media dwells on the negative is to say “Why did you cover that plane crash when you never say anything about the perfectly good landings that happen every day?!”
The answer is obvious and the truth is that any journalist true to their craft will write all the good news he can and all the bad news he has to.
The role of the Archdiocese of Louisville’s newspaper is different, of course, from the role of the secular media. The Record keeps the people of God informed about the news of the archdiocese and about the work of the Church around the world.
But the same rule stated above still applies: The Record staff will produce all the good news it can and all the bad news it has to.
Which brings us to this: Those who claim the media, occasionally including The Record, is covering only bad news haven’t been paying attention. And they certainly haven’t given The Record very thorough readings this summer, because it has been full of good news.
Here’s some reminders:
- Earlier this month, staff writer Ruby Thomas told the people of the archdiocese about a couple from Taylorsville, Ky., who with the help of several parishes raised enough money to build a church in Cana Brava, Nicaragua. That couple, Wesley and Joy Martin, are members of All Saints Church.
- In that same Aug. 6 issue, staff writer Jessica Able told us about a DeSales High School senior, Mike Buchanan, who has spent the past three summers operating his own business — Big Mike’s Shaved Ice — not just to make money, he said, but to “put smiles on people’s faces.”
- More than 500 high school athletes and coaches gathered July 31 at St. Patrick Church for a “Rosary Rally” in preparation for the upcoming school athletic season. The Record told everyone about that, too.
- Last month Record editor Marnie McAllister wrote about Elizabeth Tromans, an emergency response coordinator for Catholic Relief Services who helped earthquake victims in Nepal after the April 25 temblor.
- McAllister also brought readers of The Record up to date with the work of the Helpers of God’s Precious Infants who hold a monthly Mass and Vigil for Life at the Cathedral of the Assumption and at an abortion clinic.
- In June, Able wrote about the remarkable results of the 2014-2015 Catholic Services Appeal in which 57 parishes reached or exceeded their collection goals. The total raised was $3,245,500 — $145,000 more than the campaign’s goal of $3.1 million.
So the point here is obvious. There has been plenty of good news, at least in this newspaper, all summer. All you have to do is open the paper each week.
And by the way, Pope Francis is coming to the United States next month. How’s that for good news?
Glenn Rutherford
Record Editor Emeritus
