Image: CBAA
The priest and pastoral ministry in a digital world:
New media at the service of the Word
New media at the service of the Word
The image above (from the Computer Committee of the Catholic Biblical Association) beautifully communicates the message which Benedict XVI has chosen for World Communications Day (WCD) 2010. Customarily, the announcement of the coming year's theme for WCD is made on September 29, the feast of the Archangels Michael, Gabriel and Raphael. Angels are understood to be God's messengers, thus the connection with communications.
Perhaps in 2010 the pope will start blogging! worldcommunicationsday2010
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- For World Communications Day 2010, Pope Benedict XVI has chosen the theme "The priest and pastoral ministry in a digital world: New media at the service of the Word."
As the church celebrates the Year for Priests, the pope also wanted to invite the world's priests to consider ways they could use digital media in their ministry, said a statement from the Pontifical Council for Social Communications. The Vatican announced the theme Sept. 29.
If understood and used wisely, new media technology "can offer priests and all pastoral workers a wealth of information and content that was difficult to access before, and facilitate forms of collaboration and greater communion in ways that were unthinkable in the past," the statement said.-ConcordPastor wcd2010
While the church also must be aware of and address problems the new digital culture causes, it said, the church should recognize the enormous potential new instruments of communication have in ministry and evangelization.
Thanks to the new media, those involved in preaching and catechizing can now reach individuals and entire communities on every continent using words, sounds and images, it said.
"If used wisely, and with the help of experts in technology and communications, the new media can become a valid and effective tool for priests and all pastoral workers for evangelization and communion that are true and full of meaning," it said.
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By Carol Glatz
Catholic News Service
Am glad that the pope is encouraging the use of new technology in the spread of the good news.
ReplyDeleteAny idea of how many pastors in the RCAB are embracing the use of new technology in their parishes? A sharing of best practices at a presbyterate meeting might be helpful.
Rosemary
You know that I think that this is great!
ReplyDelete