Journalism and Catholic thought during the first forty years of the 20th century in Costa Rica

Abstract

Pius XII, in his speech to the participants in the First International Congress of the Catholic Press, thus pointed out the role of Catholic journalism: “The men who should be entrusted with the mission of clarifying and guiding public opinion are seen frequently, some for their ill will or because of its insufficiency, others due to impossibility or pressure, in a bad position to dedicate themselves to it freely and successfully ... the Catholic press must put up an insurmountable obstacle to the progressive retreat, to the disappearance of the fundamental conditions of a healthy public opinion and consolidate and even reinforce what remains of it. Willingly renounce the vain benefits of a vulgar interest or a popularity of bad law; know how to remain, with energetic and determined dignity, inaccessible to all direct or indirect attempts at corruption ... the press has a decisive role to play in educating opinion, not to dictate or direct it, but to serve it usefully ».