Pope Benedict XVI Urges Priests to Blog, Use Technology to Preach the Gospel

Pope Benedict XVI has a new commandment to Catholic priests the world over: blog and utilize the best of new media to bring people closer to God.

"The spread of multimedia communications and its rich 'menu of options' might make us think it sufficient simply to be present on the Web," but priests are "challenged to proclaim the Gospel by employing the latest generation of audiovisual resources,"

[...]

"Priests present in the world of digital communications should be less notable for their media savvy than for their priestly heart, their closeness to Christ,"

, the Pope said in a message released by the Vatican.

Pope Benedict XVI became the Pope at a time when the whole world was experiencing this internet and new media boom. There have been times in the past when he was wary of the negative effects of the internet and certain online social networks, in particular, to make loose the idea of human relationships or to trivialize sex. Now, it is heartening to realize that our Pope is also considering new media as an effective way to evangelize and to bring people closer to Christ.

"That doesn't mean that (every priest) must open a blog or a Web site. It means that the church and the faithful must engage in this ministry in a digital world," Monsignor Claudio Maria Celli reflected on the message of the Pope "At some point, a balance will be found."

Source: The Washington Post

Trivia: 81% of the more than 80 Million Filipinos are Catholics.

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