Saturday, January 23, 2010

Holy Father encourages online priestly ministry

Vatican City, Jan 23, 2010 / 10:24 am (CNA).- In his message for the 44th World Day for Social Communications, Pope Benedict calls for priests to "make astute use" of available technology in becoming a presence as community leaders on the web. However, he urges them to remain "less notable for their media savvy than for their priestly heart."

The 2010 World Day for Social Communications will take place on May 16 under the theme "The Priest and Pastoral Ministry in a Digital World: New Media at the Service of the Word." The Holy Father’s message was released today.

The aim of this year's message is to draw attention to the possibilities for priestly ministry offered within the "important and sensitive pastoral area of digital communications."

For every priest, states the Holy Father in the message, fulfilling the fundamental priority of building up God's communion "necessarily involves using new communications technologies."

"Priests stand at the threshold of a new era: as new technologies create deeper forms of relationship across greater distances, they are called to respond pastorally by putting the media ever more effectively at the service of the Word."

Pope Benedict emphasizes that "broad new vistas for dialogue, evangelization and catechesis" can be opened up in cyberspace with the presence of priests, living out their traditional role as community leaders in the world of digital communication.
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See also:

From Catholic News Service, "Pope asks priests to get online, spread the Gospel"

From Asia News, "Pope: Internet, an instrument for the proclamation of Christ"

From New York Daily News, "Pope Benedict to priests: For God's sake, blog!"

From the Daily Telegraph, "Pope tells priests to get blogging"

From ABC News, "Pope to Priests: Go Forth and Blog"

From Yahoo!Xtra News, "Pope urges priests to make 'astute' use of Internet"

And from YouTube-Vatican's Channel:

Benedict XVI: New Technologies Are a Resource for the Faith
January 23, 2010

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