Signs of another time

This year, TV3's program Signes dels temps celebrates forty years on air. It airs on Sunday mornings and delves into the social and pastoral current affairs of the Catholic Church. The title refers to an expression from the Second Vatican Council about the Church's duty to be attentive to the changes and evolutions of society. Perhaps it would be good for TV3 to also be attentive to the evolution of its schedule, because, ironically, this slot has been somewhat neglected. It must be said that Signes dels temps is formally correct with Montserrat Esteve at the helm. There is a certain effort to give it a veneer of connection with social reality. The content aligns with the program's objective, and it is made with care and professionalism. The post-production work should be highlighted to give it a relative visual modernity. It will surely satisfy the expectations of the Episcopal Conference, but this centrality of Catholicism and an approach with such a typical catechism style do not quite align with the function of a public television.

The world is increasingly plural. Different faiths coexist, beliefs are increasingly hybrid, and non-believers have more active ways of expressing themselves spiritually. Faith is becoming detached from institutions, and practices tend towards individualization. It must be borne in mind that the Catholic Church has been losing its moral authority. Unfortunately, religion is still used as a pretext to justify social and political conflict. But the program seems oblivious to this complexity, and if it mentions it, it is from that voluntarism of "if God wills it".

It's not that public television cannot talk about religion, faith, or spirituality. The problem is that in Signes dels temps it is discussed as if it could only be spoken of in one way. Religion is maintained as a cultural and ritual form, and it cannot be ignored. But perhaps all these types of reflections should be approached from a perspective closer to philosophy, as a more open space for asking questions, with a more critical gaze, and where forms of thought do not necessarily start from religion and in such a reverential way with institutions. There is no dissent. Everything seems focused on reinforcing the ecclesiastical hierarchy. In tone and type of discourse, we are closer to catechism than to a contemporary account of beliefs and spirituality. Like the monastery of Poblet and the connection with the monks, conversations with Benedictine nuns, the work of missionaries... Society has greatly changed its relationship with faith and religion no longer occupies the same place of authority, but the program continues to talk about it as if it were so, and it can end up being very alienating for the audience.