Pope to examine social networks as portals of faith

Last updated on: October 2, 2012 at 10:18 pm by CNA Daily News

Pope to examine social networks as portals of faith 2012-10-02T22:18:00+00:00 CNA Daily News

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Vatican City, Oct 2, 2012 / 04:18 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Pope Benedict XVI will release a message in January 2013 that will examine the promise of social networks like Facebook and Twitter as “new spaces of evangelization” and “portals of truth and faith.”

The Pontifical Council of Social Communications announced on Sept. 29 that the Pope chose social networks as the theme of the Catholic Church’s next World Communications Day.

The pontifical council noted the need to be “attentive to the emergence and enormous popularity of the social networks, which privilege dialogical and interactive forms of communication and relationships.”

The council asked whether technology can help men and women “meet Christ in faith” at a time when technology has become “part of the fabric of connectivity of human experiences.”

The Pope’s message comes after a decade-long boom in internet social media. Facebook, currently one of the largest social networking sites, claims 800 million active users.

Although World Communications Day is observed on the Sunday before Pentecost, which in 2013 will fall on May 12, the Pope typically publishes his message for the observance on the Jan. 24 Memorial of St. Francis de Sales, the patron saint of writers.

The social communications council said the “digital environment” poses “one of the most important challenges facing the task of evangelization today.”

It stressed the necessity of learning how to present the Gospel “as the answer to that basic human yearning for meaning and faith.”

This approach requires “a new way of thinking” that not only considers how to use the internet as a means of evangelization, but considers how to evangelize “in a context where the lives of people find expression also in the digital arena.”

Bringing evangelization to social networks, the council said, will “serve to create a more dynamic and humane digital world.”

The Second Vatican Council’s 1963 decree “Inter Mirifica” called for the establishment of World Communications Day. The decree said the observance is intended to help teach the Catholic faithful how to “spread and defend the truth and foster Christian influence in human society.”

Vatican

Previous Post

October 2, 2012

Pro-life leaders urge veto of Buenos Aires abortion law

Next Post

October 2, 2012 Anti-Christian graffiti hits Franciscan convent in Jerusalem

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Americas Asia - Pacific Europe Middle East - Africa Uncategorized US Vatican

Select a Month November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Where did Moses strike a rock and water came out?

Select your answer to see how you score.

At Jordan At Kadesh At Horeb At Marah