A Concord Pastor Comments: Jesus Christ and the Digital Culture

The Catholic blogosphere is awash in commentary on the 50th anniversary of the opening of Vatican Council II and the Year of Faith which begins today. I've read a lot of this material as I reflect on the Council's impact on my own life of faith. I was a high school sophomore when the Council opened and not a day of my seminary formation and subsequent ministry over nearly 40 years has not been touched by the Council's spirit and teachings.

Bishop Christopher Coyne offers an essay for the beginning of the Year of Faith that links so well the reason and message of the Council with ministry today on what Pope Benedict has called the "digital continent." Here's a snip of Bishop Coyne's article on Patheos Catholic - please read the whole piece.

In order to "speak in the light" and "proclaim on the housetops," I need to go where the proclamation will be heard. Today, the digital culture is one of those places. I desire to both evangelize through and evangelize the new media digital itself. Right now, there is too much "darkness" in the new media and not enough light. By bringing the name and person of Jesus Christ to the new digital media, by proclaiming the Good News, and by being a presence of Christ and His Church in the new media, I hope to bring others to either know Him for the first time or to know Him more deeply in His Church.
Does it take a lot time and energy? Yes. Do I have to be careful about what I say and how I say it? Yes. Do I sometimes make mistakes or take things too far or offend and upset some people? Yes. Does this mean I will stop doing what I do? No, for all of us are called to . . .

. . . proclaim the word; be persistent whether it is convenient or inconvenient; convince, reprimand, encourage through all patience and teaching. (2 Timothy 4:2)