It is a “gift from heaven” says the Vatican.
Invoking the vow of obedience promised to him, we may soon find new bloggers in the world wide web making posts from their convents and teaching gospel truths and doctrines, or simply sharing their personal endeavors as pastors.
Pope Benedict XVI’s new admonition to priests: Go forth and blog!
The pope shared during the celebration of the World Day of Communications about the need for his priests to use cutting-edge technologies on preaching the Gospel and engage with other religions and cultures to foster ecumenical dialogue.
The spread of multimedia communications and its rich ‘menu of options’ might make us think it sufficient simply to be present on the Web…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.
Amen to that, your Holiness.
At this point of technological advancements and the use of internet as the main information and communication super highway, the pope who is also very visible in Facebook and YouTube, suggests the use of images, videos, blogs and animated applications to priests on their ministry. With most of the youth into social networks and blogging, the pope finds it a great opportunity for priests to use this new media on reflecting theological and spiritual principles and the teachings of the Church in the modern day world.
Though the Vatican is not asking for all priests to put up a blog account, what the Pope wants is for the Church to basically open up its doors to technological advancements in the field of digital communications to further its teachings on fostering a just and humane community.
Personally, this is good news. The old ways of priests and Church ministers on doing their pastoral work are not really working out that much now.
The Church is obviously lagging behind, with most priests and pastors still having mentalities (and personalities) dating back the colonial era; still using the pulpit and traditional ways of preaching and teaching. Â At this age, these shepherds really need to work hard on looking for their flock and not simply threaten believers into painting images of a burning furnace just to believe what they teach.
However, I must say that some priests though, before engaging on the use of the new media should first learn to open up themselves, to be more tolerant and have the spirit of openness to dialogue and diversity of views, as the blogosphere is no-no place for close-minded and self-righteous individuals. It is a place of dialogue, and convergence of different views.
Hopefully, this could also be discussed on the Second National Congress of the Clergy of the Philippines.
Some priests, religious and bishops are already doing this blogging platform like Fr. Felmas of SVD, Br. Arian Lopez of De La Salle Brothers and Archbishop Oscar Cruz.
Vatican spokersperson though admitted that “those who have a certain age will struggle a bit more.”
I am more excited though to see Cardinal Vidal blogging about GMA. Ahem.
What do you think of the Pope’s move to telling his priests to use new media and specifically blogging on their ministry? What are the difficulties that some priests may encounter on using blogging as a means to share the Gospel and the Church teachings?
Image from Geekologie
I think it’s smart.
You can bet the Baptists and Evangelicals are all over this technology.
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But these Catholic priests have lots of catching up to do…while other Christian denominations are all over it, the Catholic Church was still using scrolls and ink.
Technology can easily become a great tool in service of the humanity, but also as easily can become a big threat.
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Yes, totally agree about threat. Here’s hoping the Church in Rome can be part of the solution rather than part of the problem.
I’m not Catholic, but I have enormous respect for the Church in Rome as an institution. No one ever writes about the greatness, only the failings. And I don’t like that.
Dave Doolin´s last blog ..MasterMind Power III: The 5 Ws Of a Successful Mastermind Group
I think it is not really a great failing of the Catholic as an institution but of individual prelates and ministers to recognized early on the power of blogging and new media on propagating the teachings of the Church and as a tool for their ministry.
This is though quite challenging for countries and regions where the technology of internet and social media is not enjoyed by most believers; and where censorship and ban on religious freedom are still strictly implemented by regimes like China and Myanmar to name a few.
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This is a good and relevant idea. Amen to that too. How I wish schools would support more student bloggers. Mahal kasi ang mag purchase ng edublogging webhost which would be ideal to the academe. But eventually, things will evolve.
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Amen!
Only sad to note that there are still many schools who still see the new media, blogging and social networks with suspicion and distrust. They are still heavily relying on traditional methods of instructions, that while the outside world is already fast-moving ahead, the classroom is still using the primitive ways of instructions; alienating the students when they are already confronted by the new medium of communication.
Hopefully, indeed, things will evolve and soon educational institutions too will capitalize this new technology to its advantage.
Amen!
elmot´s last blog ..Controversial Piolo Pascual Video, Questioning His Sexuality, Again?
it isn’t difficult for them to start now. or they can have a parish website, and live streams of the sunday mass.
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There are so many talented people in the IT industry that are also very active on their respective parishes. That is a good idea. But I think the Church will oppose on a livestream mass or will be very careful on that, as they will point out that it may lead people to not actually attending the mass anymore and just rely on livestreaming.
Parish websites and personal blogs of priests are great idea…it will not only help them on their ministry as a priests but will also greatly help them on their psycho-social life as ministers.
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It’s a very smart move, but I’m sure there are some priests who are already out there doing it. Still, now that he has told them all what a great idea it is I’m sure a lot more will be doing it.
It’s also a great move in that it will bring those who live too far away from a church the capacity to have a one on one with their fellow parishioners.
Thanks for the comment Sire!
I personally know some priests and religious who are using blogs are one of their means of reaching to people and doing their ministry.
And in particular, there are those who use it to invite young men to become priests.
elmot´s last blog ..As Green as the Foliage
I’m an avid reader of Father Felmar, a Filipino priest. He’s very down to earth guy and his blog is filled with wonderful stories of his work in his diocese in the South. I know he’s in contact with other priests who blog, but I have yet to check them out. Maybe it’s timeI did.
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Yeah, Fr. Felmar SVD is a very good priest and really knows the power of blogging in his ministry especially on campaigning for more vocations.
Remember, he is the one who blessed this blog…seriously.
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Good article, Elmot! I’m not Catholic, but I think your new Pope is wise indeed. To the uninvolved, naked eye it seems like many feel as though Catholicism is falling behind, not keeping up with the world. This helps with that.
I think if anybody should be blogging, it’s religious leaders. What better way to spread your message to an unlimited potential audience?
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I am not particularly sure why the Catholic Church as lagged behind in terms of using technological advancements in the field of online media communications. From my own view in relation to those priests that I know, there are still many of them who sees with contempt and suspicion technology and modern-day advancements.
But this is really a good move by the Pope. People are flocking online, and they need to follow where the people are, unlike the old days.
elmot´s last blog ..Watch Super Bowl XLIV 2010 Free Live Streaming Online Here
I’ll say AMEN to that too. As for “us” who were indulged in the internet, it is very easy for us to be reached by their teachings
Although it would be hard at first for they also have to learn having their own “web presence”. Anyhow, I am more than willing to exchange links 
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Wow, you are very generous with your blog juice, LOL!
For young priests, this is so easy…and their formators in seminary could easily integrate blogging and the use of the new media on their training inside the seminaries.
elmot´s last blog ..Controversial Piolo Pascual Video, Questioning His Sexuality, Again?
The Catholic Church has had long established its presence in the WWW. Just Google any Catholic related term and they’d pop out.
They often hit back on other religions, atheist groups/movements, evolutionists, etc.
The question now is, how would priests fare in handling dissenting comments on their blog? This would also expose unwitting bigots and hypocrites once they blog their preachings to the hilt.
All in all, this would be exciting.
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There are indeed so many websites about Catholicism in the web, but mostly these are static websites or simply websites that provide information and not really actively interacting with readers and visitors. Most of these sites I have seen are institutional sites, not really priests or ministers behind a blog site actively engaging visitors.
That is also my concern Bro. Let us admit that there are still so many members of the clergy who are not that open-minded or can even tolerate dissenting opinions especially on issues that the Church’s stance is non-negotiable.
But it will be so exciting to see one blog with this issue on.
elmot´s last blog ..Controversial Piolo Pascual Video, Questioning His Sexuality, Again?
Not a bad idea and it shows the Vatican is finally coming up to speed with the current century.
When I was 11, 12, 13 [can't remember exactly] my favorite priest gave me [and a few other of his kids] a coin blessed by Pope John Paul II. I still have it. I often wonder what happened him [my priest, not the Pope]. =)
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And it is actually very unlikely for a very conservative (even thought to be more conservative than Pope John Paul II) pope in Ratzinger to be very open to technology and the new media.
That priest maybe is now happy in God’s wings
What happened to the supposed-to-be ultra conservative pope? Something might have happened after he was tackled.
Can we call it the “conversation of Benedict on his way to St. Peter’s altar”?
Somehow similar to the conversion of St. Paul? I really don’t know, but even before this declaration, he is already quite present in the web with the use of YouTube and Facebook.
for now, this also became a source of communication. thanks to the net…but be aware coz there a lot of things inside of this cube.
And the Church can use the present technology to help people understand and know also of the dangers that technology can give to people.
I saw a blog from a Catholic priest even before this announcement. A blogger (and real life) friend of mine who stopped being a Catholic left a comment on this priest’s blog – the comment left was not offending, but it invited discussion. However, the priest decided to remove his comment after visiting and reading his blog (where some of his posts are anti-Catholic).
That is one of the issue that I am really very concerned about. Before priests engage themselves into blogging, they should also very understand who the blogosphere works…tolerance is the key here.
If they will be close-minded and not widen their perspective on things, instead maybe of gaining more believers, they may lose more.
This is one way of making themselves accessible to the public so that their constituents can post their comments, suggestions and grievances. More than that, it gives the public the chance to ask parish priests questions of faith and their answers will be publicly referenced.
This is a very interesting development and I have a feeling that it could work. Ancient religion meets new technology much like in Star Wars where the Jedi and the Sith (ancient religions) use holocrons and lightsabers (new technology).
But it won’t be a smooth ride. These new bloggers need to learn about how the blogosphere works, as you said, so that they can make it work for them instead of against them. I guess there’d be a bit of paradigm shift required for things to work out well. But in sum, this is a very commendable step.