This Sunday, May 24, 2009 has been designated by the Vatican as the 43rd World Day of Communications. Pope Benedict has issued his message to media & communications professionals titled, “New Technologies, New Relationships. Promoting a Culture of Respect, Dialogue and Friendship.”
The Pope jumps right in by focusing on digital communications and the amazing potential to promote human understanding and solidarity. He notes that people want to connect with each other and that this is “rooted in our very nature as human beings.” In fact, this innate desire mirrors God’s relationship with us.
Media tools can do much to help us connect with each other, to understand and to provide support for each other. “These networks can facilitate forms of co-operation between people from different geographical and cultural contexts that enable them to deepen their common humanity and their sense of shared responsibility for the good of all.”
The Pope concludes his message by asking young people, who take so naturally to the digital realm, to evangelize cyberspace by bringing their Christian values to this new area.
