CICS - General Information

Director F. Augustine Savarimuthu, SJ

a. Introduction

The Centre for Interdisciplinary Communication Studies (CICS) was established at the Pontifical Gregorian University, with the purpose of "examining the problems and opportunities which mass communication offers for proclaiming the Gospel message and in general for theological and philosophical language," and thus being "of service to all Christian communities in their dialogue with the contemporary world." (Carlo Maria Martini, S.J., Opening Address for the Academic Year 1978-79, and repeated on February 28, 1981, when the CICS was instituted.)

b. A Vision of Communication Studies within the Church

The Gregorian is an ecclesiastical university, and so the primary aim of the CICS is to develop a vision for communication and media involvement in the Catholic Church as envisaged by the documents Inter Mirifica, Communio et Progressio, Aetatis Novae and others. The primary mission of the CICS is to train church leaders in communication through academic research in areas relevant to the church’s mandate in communication. The focus of the programme is three-fold: theological, philosophical and socio-cultural. The CICS promotes a research-oriented approach rather than a technical-equipment-related approach in all its training. Hence areas of study such as communication as communion, the philosophy of and theories of communication, theology and communication, the psychology and spirituality of communication, semiotics, ethics of the media, communication and development, cultural and group media, media aesthetics, media and religion, sociology of the media, etc are important. Besides giving the students basic technical know-how through hands-on training in all aspects of media production, the courses in pastoral communication, theology of communication, homiletics, training of the diocesan directors of communicators, are all aimed at directly aimed at serving the church’s mission.

The CICS plays an important role in preparing persons for leadership in communication in the church, including the training of professors of Communications in Catholic universities and seminaries, of directors of communication and of media offices on the diocesan level and for Episcopal conferences, and of educated and capable Catholic men and women who can play a crucial role in formulating communications and media policies in their own countries.

Many of our former students are now providing valuable services in these areas in various parts of the world.

Staffed by a group of international professors, CICS invites students from all over the world, who are trained to work meaningfully in various areas of communication in their country.

c. The Philosophy of the CICS programme

The Centre for Interdisciplinary Communications Studies envisages the development of clear perspectives on the complex reality of communication; with a mix of theory and research, it intends to adapt to the changing situations in and needs of the Church.

In fact, reaching beyond the confines of any specific local church or nation, communication studies in the CICS stresses the following three areas:

• The importance of a cultural studies approach and a design and development of media to promote local cultures;
• The importance of a participatory, community media approach;
• The importance of developing media products which favour justice and democratization.

With these general goals as background, the CICS aims to help those preparing for administrative, planning and teaching positions in the communication work of the Church worldwide. It focuses on preparing future Church leaders, who understand the world and the Church and who think critically with the Church, enabling it to face the complex challenges generated by the explosion of media messages in the modern world.

The CICS programme of study concentrates on the impact of mass media on culture and on the consequences such impact has for proclaiming the Gospel in the contemporary world.

The programme therefore is articulated into four areas or dimensions:

• The «theological-philosophical dimension»,
• the «semiotic-cultural dimension»,
• the «socio-cultural dimension»,
• the «practical, pastoral dimension».

Taking its cue from the Church document, “Redemptoris Missio”, people trained in media in ecclesiastic universities must be “evangelisers of the media”.

The media products they create or develop must, along with a high level of professional expertise, demonstrate the following qualities:

• be able to discern and promote the issue of human rights and of Christian values;
• be able to move their viewers to influence communication policies for the welfare of society, they must be a “leaven, that spreads the hope of the gospel”;
• give voice to the voice-suppressed, empower the weak, the marginalized, women, minorities, etc.
• create awareness among people regarding the real issues in their society, without getting lost in the inevitable glamour and manipulation of the media world;
• educate people to become watchdogs of democracy, contributing to the development of an egalitarian society;
• be respectful of indigenous cultures, demonstrating a clear understanding of their uniqueness and richness.

As the Puebla document of the Church in Latin America emphasizes , "Media training must equip professionals to adopt a critical attitude toward the bombardments launched by the mass media and to counteract the impact of media’s alienating messages, whether ideological, cultural, or promotional."

September 1st, 2010