THE UNITY AND ADVANCEMENT of men living in society: these are the chief aims of social communication and of all the means it uses. These means include the press, the cinema, radio and television. The constant improvement in the media puts them at disposal of more people who in their daily lives make increasing use of them. More than ever before, the way men live and think is profoundly affected by the means of communication. The Church sees these media as "gifts of God" which, in accordance with his providential design, unite men in brotherhood. and so help them to cooperate with his plan for their salvation. A deeper and more penetrating understanding of social communication and of the Contribution which the media it uses can make to modern society, can be derived from a number of documents issued by the Second Vatican Council. These are, notably the Constitution on 'The Church in the world Today," the Decree on "Ecumenism," the Declaration on "Religious freedom," the Decree on "The Missionary Activity of the Church," and the Decree on "The Missionary Activity of the Church," and the Decree on "The Pastoral Duties of Bishops," and, of course, there is  a decree that is wholly devoted to a discussion of "The Media of social Communication."