THE POPE APPROVES Televised Religious Ceremonies

C H AR AC.TFR ISTICALLY last week, issued an Encyclical Letter ("Miranda Prorsus") on Motion Pictures. Television and Radio, further extracts from which appear on Page 8.
Once 'igain he noted the influence for good and evil in these modern means of entertainment, and calls on Bishops to set up offices for their supervision.
The Holy Father gives his approval to televised religious ceremonies, and praises preachers who make use of the Radio for their apostolic work.
In this country we already have our own Film Office, and in this connection Ft. J. A. V. Burke, Hon. Sec. of the Catholic Film Institute, says: " TO those of us who have been actively engaged in the work of Catholic Film Action during the past two decades, the words of the Holy Father conic as but the latest of a series of paternal encouragements to promote good motion pictures and to instruct the faithful with regard to the potentialities of this powerful means of communication. It was in his Message to the Fourth International Catholic Film Congress held in Brussels in 1947 that the Holy Father referred to the cinema as ' an incomparable instrument of culture and knowledge,' and though few modern films, whether documentary or fictional. measure up to this Lord Hailsham (above), whose sympathetic attitude towards the Catholic viewpoint in regard to Schools is well-known, is now succeeded as Minister of Education by Mr. Geoffrey Lloyd (below), who no doubt will soon become acquainted with a problem that has still 10 be solved if justice to Catholics is to be done.
exalted definition, I have always been convinced that if the public were well enough instructed to be able to recognise the best in film when they see it, the cinema would, indeed, justify the high hopes which the Holy Father has always entertained for it.
" In this country the Catholic Film institute. as the official Catholic Film Office, has for many years been struggling to implement the Poly Father's wishes but has been crippled by lack of financial support. Perhaps this latest Papal pronouncement will rouse up the Catholic public to do something to make sure that the English voice continues to be heard in the counsels of the International Catholic Film Office."