Freedom in the messages of Pope John Paul II for World Communications Day

Abstract

The study is based on those excerpts from Pope John Paul II’s annual messages for World Communications Day in which the term “libertà” (“freedom”) is used in its Italian versions. The author refers to the historical approaches to the idea of freedom, including the freedom of communication, which still demands further research and dissemination of its results. The above-mentioned, rather little-known messages are then presented. The article indicates, for example, how frequently Pope John Paul II used the term “libertà” in comparison to the use of other words considered meaningful. As the term “libertà” appears 57 times in the indicated documents, the theme of freedom is then presented in the 1981 message “Social communications in the service of responsible human freedom”, in which “libertà” appears 25 times, and in the 2003 message “The communications media at the service of authentic peace in the light of ‘Pacem in Terris’”, where “libertà” is listed 13 times. Subsequently, the theme of freedom is presented in regard to messages in which the term “libertà” appears much less frequently. The article then points to Pope John Paul II’s understanding of freedom as essential to man (also in the context of media), along with his involvement in specific actions, as well as the understanding of freedom as a feature of man’s likeness (as a creature) to God, and related to responsibility, as well as the implementation of the commandment of love that requires protection, care, and development.