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Theme for
2010 communications day invites priests to use digital media
By Carol Glatz Catholic News Service
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.
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.
In most countries, the Catholic Church
celebrates World Communications Day on the Sunday before
Pentecost; in 2010 the communications day will be celebrated May
16.
A papal message for the occasion usually is released Jan. 24,
the feast of St. Francis de Sales, the patron of journalists.
END
09/29/2009 9:26 AM ET
Copyright (c) 2009 Catholic News Service/U.S. Conference of
Catholic Bishops |
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