MESSAGE OF HIS HOLINESS POPE BENEDICT XVI

FOR THE 47th WORLD COMMUNICATIONS DAY

"Social Networks: portals of truth and faith; new spaces for evangelization."

One line summary:
Dont forget to bring God into the social networks and in the digital world.

Quote that summarizes the message:
There should be no lack of coherence or unity in the expression of our faith and
witness to the Gospel in whatever reality we are called to live, whether physical or
digital. When we are present to others, in any way at all, we are called to make known
the love of God to the furthest ends of the earth.

Summary:
Pope Benedict XVI reminds us to bring God into the digital space since the social
networks are becoming part of the very fabric of society, are helping to create a new
agora and are a part of the daily experience of many people, especially the young.
The proof of the importance and relevance of religion in public debate and in the life of
society is the growing dialogue in social networks about faith and belief. The way
believers can participate in this is through sharing to those they meet in the digital
forum Jesus Christ, their profound source of hope and joy, not only through explicit
expression but also through their witness, which is shown in their choices, preferences
and judgments that are fully consistent with the Gospel. Moreover, the Holy Father
also calls upon the commitment of people in the development of these social networks
and ensuring that it leads to the good.

Notes:

1. Digital Social Networks are helping to create a new agora
a. Agora an open public square in which people share ideas, information
and opinions, and in which new relationships and forms of community
can come into being.

2. Advantages of these spaces:
a. Helps foster forms of dialogue and debate that can reinforce the bonds of
unity between individuals and effectively communicate the harmony of
human family.
i. Given that it is engaged in a wise and balanced way, and if
conducted with concern for privacy, responsibility and
truthfulness.
b. In the digital space,
i. Exchange of information (becomes) Communication
ii. Links Friendships
iii. Connections Communion
c. Important: the need for authenticity because were not just sharing ideas
and information, were also sharing our very selves.

3. There is a need for commitment in developing social networks because these are
increasingly becoming part of the very fabric of society.
a. People engage in these networks to:
i. Build relationships and make friends
ii. Look for answers to their questions
iii. Entertainment
iv. Finding intellectual stimulation
v. Sharing knowledge and know-how

4. Culture of social networks and changes in communication styles pose challenges
for those who want to talk about the truth and values because:
a. Significance of content appears to be determined by popularity rather
than intrinsic value and importance.
i. Popularity due to celebrity and persuasiveness rather than logic of
argumentation.
b. Thus, the gentle voice of reason is tramped upon by excessive info and
more persuasive messages.
c. The Holy Father calls upon the commitment of those who will safeguard
the value of dialogue and reasoned debate so that it flourishes and grows
as we converse with the diversity of culture of others.

5. Challenge for believers: how to be truly inclusive.
a. Believers become aware that if the Good News is not made known also in
the digital world, it may be absent in the experience of many people for
whom this existential space is important.
b. The digital world is important because it is becoming a part of the daily
experience of people, especially the young.

6. There is the need to employ new languages in communicating the Gospel in the
digital environment (i.e. words are normally accompanied by images and sounds
in the digital world).
a. Effective communication must involve the imagination and affectivity of
the audience just like Jesus parables.
b. Christian tradition does not lack these because there are lots of faith-
inspired artworks like paintings and music.





7. Authentic of believers in social networks is in sharing their faith in Jesus Christ,
which is the profound source of their hope and joy.
a. This sharing involves not only explicit expression but also unspoken
things like our witness through our choices, preferences and judgments.
b. One way of witness is patience in engaging the questions of others in
their search for the truth and the meaning of human existence.
c. Importance of religion in society is affirmed by growing dialogue about it
in social networks.

8. There is the natural desire for believers to share, respectfully and tactfully, to
those they meet in the digital space Jesus Christ.
a. This is because they believe that the answers to mankinds questions
about love, truth and the meaning of life questions that are not absent
in the social networks are in him.
b. Gods Word has the intrinsic power to touch the hearts of people even
without our efforts thats why we have to trust in His Work and not in our
human means.
c. Call for attentive discernment because sensationalism and divisiveness
can prevail in the digital environment.
d. Everyone is open to the faith because of the basic human desire to love
and to be loved and to find meaning and truth, which God placed in
everyones hearts.

9. Social networks, aside from evangelization, can also facilitate human
development
a. It can bring a sense of community to other places where they feel
isolated.
b. It can help bring people who share the same faith to pray together.
c. Engagement with those who have questions and doubts of those distant
in the faith should compel us to nourish our faith and practical charity
through prayer and reflection.
i. Dont be just words but have practical charity: If I speak in the
tongues of men and of angels but have not love, I am a noisy gong
or a clanging cymbal (1 Cor 13:1)

10. Digital world can make people discover other dimensions of the faith like direct
encounters, experience of community and even pilgrimages.

11. In any reality we are in, physical or digital, we are called to express our faith and
witness to the Gospel.

12. When we are present to others, in any way at all, we are called to make known
the love of God to the furthest ends of the earth.
END