On the Feast of St. Francis de Sales, patron saint of journalists, Pope Benedict XVI issued his message for this year’s World Communications Day which will be celebrated on May 16.
Because it is currently the Year for Priests, the theme for World Communications Day 2010 is “The priest and pastoral ministry in a digital world: New media at the service of the Word.”
The pope’s message focused on the “important and sensitive pastoral area of digital communications” and how priests ought to utilize new technology for “dialogue, evangelization and catechesis.”
The pope said that, “the world of digital communication, with its almost limitless expressive capacity, makes us appreciate all the more Saint Paul’s exclamation: ‘Woe to me if I do not preach the Gospel’ (1 Cor 9:16) The increased availability of the new technologies demands greater responsibility on the part of those called to proclaim the Word, but it also requires them to become more focused, efficient and compelling in their efforts.”
He emphasized that technology is not an end in and of itself, but rather an instrument when can aid the priest’s primary mission, “the proclamation of Jesus Christ, the incarnate Word of God, and the communication of his saving grace in the sacraments.”
While many Catholic parishes have been establishing presences on the web in recent years, the pope encouraged priests to go beyond a view that sees the web “only as a space to be filled.” Rather, priests are expected to exercise “their proper role as leaders of communities” and proclaim the Gospel with the latest multimedia technologies.
In recent years, the Vatican has led the Church in embracing new technology. In January 2009 the Holy See launched the official Vatican YouTube channel, which now hosts nearly 500 videos produced in conjunction with Vatican Radio and Centro Televisivo Vaticano.
Many Catholic bishops and priests have already begun the mission of using digital media in evangelization.
Seán Cardinal O’Malley, archbishop of Boston, publishes a blog at http://www.cardinalseansblog.org. Timothy Dolan, archbishop of New York, publishes a blog titled “The Gospel in the Digital Age.” Fr. Chris Decker and Fr. Ryan Humphries of the dioceses of Baton Rouge, LA and Alexandria, LA (respectively) co-produce the podcast “Catholic Underground” on the topics of faith and new media.
Each year a different theme is chosen for World Communications Day, and in recent years they have included “New Technologies, New Relationships (2009),” “Crossroads between Self-Promotion and Service (2008),” and “Children and the Media (2007).”
World Communications Day is a result of Inter Mirifica, a document by the Second Vatican Council, which outlined how media ought to be used as a form of social communication for the Church.
de Sales, patron saint of journalists,
Pope Benedict XVI issued
his message for this year’s World
Communications Day which
will be celebrated on May 16.
Because it is currently the
Year for Priests, the theme for
World Communications Day
2010 is “The priest and pastoral
ministry in a digital world: New
media at the service of the Word.”
The pope’s message focused
on the “important and sensitive
pastoral area of digital communications”
and how priests ought to utilize
new technology for “dialogue,
evangelization and catechesis.”
The pope said that, “the world
of digital communication, with its
almost limitless expressive capacity,
makes us appreciate all the more
Saint Paul’s exclamation: ‘Woe to
me if I do not preach the Gospel’
(1 Cor 9:16) The increased availability
of the new technologies
demands greater responsibility on
the part of those called to proclaim
the Word, but it also requires them
to become more focused, efficient
and compelling in their efforts.”
He emphasized that technology
is not an end in and of itself,
but rather an instrument when
can aid the priest’s primary mission,
“the proclamation of Jesus
Christ, the incarnate Word of God,
and the communication of his
saving grace in the sacraments.”
While many Catholic parishes
have been establishing
presences on the web in recent
years, the pope encouraged
priests to go beyond a view that
sees the web “only as a space to
be filled.” Rather, priests are expected
to exercise “their proper
role as leaders of communities”
and proclaim the Gospel with the
latest multimedia technologies.
In recent years, the Vatican
has led the Church in embracing
new technology. In January
2009 the Holy See launched the
official Vatican YouTube channel,
which now hosts nearly 500
videos produced in conjunction
with Vatican Radio and
Centro Televisivo Vaticano.
Many Catholic bishops
and priests have already begun
the mission of using digital
media in evangelization.
Seán Cardinal O’Malley, archbishop
of Boston, publishes a blog
at cardinalseansblog.org. Timothy
Dolan, archbishop of New York,
publishes a blog titled “The Gospel
in the Digital Age.” Fr. Chris
Decker and Fr. Ryan Humphries
of the dioceses of Baton Rouge,
LA and Alexandria, LA (respectively)
co-produce the podcast
“Catholic Underground” on the
topics of faith and new media.
Each year a different theme
is chosen for World Communications
Day, and in recent years they
have included “New Technologies,
New Relationships (2009),”
“Crossroads between Self-Promotion
and Service (2008),” and
“Children and the Media (2007).”
World Communications Day
is a result of Inter Mirifica, a document
by the Second Vatican Council,
which outlined how media
ought to be used as a form of social
communication for the Church.
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