Convergences between the Social Doctrine of the Church and Social Work in Cuba. An approach from communication por public good

Abstract

The Catholic Church in Cuba, guided by the principles emanated from the Holy See and the Social Doctrine of the Church, develops its social and evangelization action adapted to the particularities of the nation and its culture. However, it faces considerable challenges in its communication work due to the limited Internet infrastructure and current restrictions on access to online information in the country. Faced with this situation, it has used alternatives that highlight the YouTube platform and the design of concise messages to access a broader audience. This adaptation towards easily shareable online content facilitates the dissemination of its religious messages, values and Christian principles among the Cuban population. On the other hand, government regulation of the media constitutes a considerable obstacle for the Catholic Church in its effort to transmit messages in a systematic way. Based on the previous situation, the objectives of this study are: 1) identify the theoretical-conceptual foundations of the Social Doctrine of the Church and Social Work 2) diagnose the communication for the public good produced by the Cuban Catholic Church on the YouTube platform where this issue is reflected. The research is classified as descriptive with theoretical contribution and uses both theoretical and empirical methods, highlighting classic documentary analysis and content analysis. It is concluded that public good communication has become an alternative way to announce the message of the church, its values and social action. However, the design of messages based on purely empirical postulates limits their interpretation and impact on both a Catholic and secular audience.