In an ironic move, Pope Benedict XVI, a/k/a Pope Palpatine, who wants to return Catholicism to a 13th century level of scientific knowledge, is now encouraging priest to use blogs and social networks to "proclaim the Gospel." Somehow, I suspect that some priests are already using social network sites such as Gay.com and Manhunt,com, although not to proclaim the gospel (even this blog has had a number of visitors from the Vatican City). If the Roman Catholic Church wants to avoid losing younger generations outside of uneducated parts of the world such as Africa, it is going to require more than the use of the Internet and Facebook to turn the tide. The worldwide sexual abuse scandal has shown the world that the Church's feet are made of clay and its venturing into interfering with civil legal rights for gays will likewise not help its cause among younger generations. Here are highlights from MSNBC on Pope Palpatine's message to priests:*
For God's sake, blog! Pope Benedict told priests on Saturday, saying they must learn to use new forms of communication to spread the gospel message. In his message for the Roman Catholic Church's World Day of Communications, the pope, who is 82 and known not to love computers or the Internet, acknowledged priests must make the most of the "rich menu of options" offered by new technology.
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"Priests are thus challenged to proclaim the Gospel by employing the latest generation of audiovisual resources — images, videos, animated features, blogs, Web sites — which, alongside traditional means, can open up broad new vistas for dialogue, evangelization and catechesis," he said.
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After decades of being wary of new media, the Vatican has decided to dive in head first. Last year, a new Vatican Web site, www.pope2you.net, went live, offering one application called "The pope meets you on Facebook," and another allowing the faithful to see the pope's speeches and messages on their iPhones or iPods.
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The Vatican got egg on its face last year when the pope admitted that, if the Church had surfed the Web more, it might have known that a traditionalist bishop whose excommunication was lifted had for years been a Holocaust denier.
For God's sake, blog! Pope Benedict told priests on Saturday, saying they must learn to use new forms of communication to spread the gospel message. In his message for the Roman Catholic Church's World Day of Communications, the pope, who is 82 and known not to love computers or the Internet, acknowledged priests must make the most of the "rich menu of options" offered by new technology.
*
"Priests are thus challenged to proclaim the Gospel by employing the latest generation of audiovisual resources — images, videos, animated features, blogs, Web sites — which, alongside traditional means, can open up broad new vistas for dialogue, evangelization and catechesis," he said.
*
After decades of being wary of new media, the Vatican has decided to dive in head first. Last year, a new Vatican Web site, www.pope2you.net, went live, offering one application called "The pope meets you on Facebook," and another allowing the faithful to see the pope's speeches and messages on their iPhones or iPods.
*
The Vatican got egg on its face last year when the pope admitted that, if the Church had surfed the Web more, it might have known that a traditionalist bishop whose excommunication was lifted had for years been a Holocaust denier.
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