"Among the wonderful technological discoveries which men of talent, especially in the present era, have made with God's help, the Church welcomes and promotes with special interest those which have a most direct relation to men's minds and which have uncovered new avenues of communicating most readily news, views and teachings of every sort."
(Vatican II, Conciliar Decree Inter Mirifica, 1)The Church never ceases to give thanks to God for the gift of human technology and advancement, especially for those innovations that simplify and speed up the spread of the Word of God and of the teaching of the Church.
Indeed, gone must be the mentality that the Church is
outdated and outmoded in its manner of spreading the Gospel... she seeks
continually ways that the Gospel is understood by everyone in their current
situation.
Today it is common for me to see Catholics better informed,
better learned and proficient enough... not because of any formal theological
study, but because of their frequent use of the Internet. I often see them
speak like theologians, liturgists, exegetes, dogmatists, and others, with no
diploma or courses entered.... only the Internet...
On the other side of the coin, the institutional Church recognizes the role of the
Internet in the task of the New Evangelization, and earnestly asks everyone in
the Church to be involved in the digital ministry... We now see the Pope
(starting from Benedict XVI) having frequent Twitter posts, Bishops and
Cardinals having personal FB and Twitter pages, priests and laity actively
using the Internet as field for apostolate, and even as early as the late 90's,
the Vatican having its own internet page.
“...for the Church the new world of cyberspace is a summons to the great adventure of using its potential to proclaim the Gospel message.”
(Saint John Paul II, Message on the 36th World Communications Day, 2002)
It is not anymore foreign to anyone to see someone posting
about God, the Church, her teachings and her practices in social media like
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc...
I am glad to see people like these, but what are the
positive and negative implications of the proliferation, increase or cropping
up of these "Digital Catholics"?
(I am only to mention a few, because of the lack of space. We have to make this readable!)
POSITIVE IMPLICATIONS
1. They are the ones who will most probably apply most the
New Evangelization according to the present situation using the freshest and
most current means understandable to their fellow modern man. The modern media
should "...offer new ways of confronting people with the message of the
Gospel...” (Pontifical Council for Social Communications, Pastoral Instruction Communio et Progressio, 1971)
2. Internet and other
social media provides a good tool in continuing evangelization and
re-evangelization of Catholics today. Not only does the Internet provide a
venue for the “traditional missionary work ad
gentes, catechesis and other kinds of education, news and information,
apologetics, governance and administration,” (Pontifical Council for Social
Communications, The Church and Internet,
5) but it also gives the Church a special venue for some “forms of pastoral
counseling and spiritual direction.”
3. The Internet also becomes a good bridge or starting point
for interreligious/intercultural dialogue. “It also provides the Church with a
means for communicating with particular groups—young people and young adults,
the elderly and home-bound, persons living in remote areas, the members of
other religious bodies—who otherwise may be difficult to reach.” “The Church
can perform an important service to Catholics and non-Catholics alike by the
selection and transmission of useful data in this medium.” (The Church and
Internet, 5)
NEGATIVE IMPLICATIONS
1. An "internet-level" faith only, a split-level
Christianity... The faith is not anymore applied on the most important area,
their lives, and instead it is only used in the digital arena, without
practice... "Faith without works is dead" (Jm 2:17, 2:26). It is not
anymore shocking to see Catholics who are overtly pious and holy in one side,
yet perverse and rude in the other side.
2. A loss of contact with the real Christian world, and a
focus only on the digital side of Christianity, by the Internet user. “Although
the virtual reality of cyberspace cannot substitute for real interpersonal
community, the incarnational reality of the sacraments and the liturgy, or the
immediate and direct proclamation of the gospel, it can complement them,
attract people to a fuller experience of the life of faith, and enrich the
religious lives of users.” (The Church and Internet, 5).
3. The lack of continuity/obedience to the Church and her Magisterium, manifested by those who profess their sites to be “Catholic”. “But it is
confusing, to say the least, not to distinguish eccentric doctrinal interpretations,
idiosyncratic devotional practices, and ideological advocacy bearing a
‘Catholic' label from the authentic positions of the Church.” (The Church and
Internet, 8).
RECOMMENDATIONS:
After having known the positive and negative implications of Catholics using the Internet as a tool for evangelization and mission, let us now have some recommendations for fellow Catholics who post on the internet.
1. Education in the media- “As much as possible, pastoral planning for social communications should make provision for this training in the formation of seminarians, priests, religious, and lay pastoral personnel as well as teachers, parents, and students.” (The Church and Internet, 7)
2. A good theological formation- "A sound theological training will help you in this and, especially, a profound and joyful passion for God, fostered by continuous exchanges with the Lord. The particular Churches and religious institutes, for their part, should not hesitate to make the most of the formation.... with foresight, people and resources. The world of the media is fully part of pastoral planning." (Benedict XVI)
3. A spirit of prayer and union with the Church and a close affinity to the work of evangelization with Christ, who “fully reveals man to himself and brings to light his most high calling”. (Gaudium et Spes, 22)
Internet communication, or indeed all communication, is a participation in the work of Christ, who opens up the Word and Truth to all of us. How blessed are we, who share in this work, in a very special way- in the modern communication of the Internet. Let us pray that our work in the Internet "may unite people to know, love, and worship the Giver and Source of these gifts of social communications." (Fr. Jose Vidamor Yu)
END
Resources:
Benedict XVI, Address to Participants in a Congress on "Digital Witnesses. Faces and Languages in the Cross-Media Age" organized by the Italian Episcopal Conference, 2010
Pontifical Council for Social Communications, Ethics in Internet, 2002
Pontifical Council for Social Communications, The Church and Internet, 2002
Rev. Jose Vidamor Yu, The Role of the Internet in the New Evangelization, Congregation for the Clergy, 2006
Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Conciliar Decree Inter Mirifica, 1963
St. John Paul II, Message on the 36th World Communications Day, 2002
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