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                               VIS-Press releases

TRUTH, PROCLAMATION AND AUTHENTICITY IN THE DIGITAL AGE

VATICAN CITY, 24 JAN 2011 (VIS) - Made public today was the Holy Father's
Message for the forty-fifth World Day of Social Communications, which will be
celebrated on 5 June and has as its theme: "Truth, Proclamation and
Authenticity of Life in the Digital Age". The Message is dated 24 January,
Feast of St. Francis de Sales, patron of journalists.

Excerpts from the English-language version of the Message are given below:

"New technologies are not only changing the way we communicate, but
communication itself, so much so that it could be said that we are living
through a period of vast cultural transformation. This means of spreading
information and knowledge is giving birth to a new way of learning and
thinking, with unprecedented opportunities for establishing relationships and
building fellowship.

"New horizons are now open that were until recently unimaginable; they stir our
wonder at the possibilities offered by these new media and, at the same time,
urgently demand a serious reflection on the significance of communication in
the digital age. This is particularly evident when we are confronted with the
extraordinary potential of the internet and the complexity of its uses. As with
every other fruit of human ingenuity, the new communications technologies must
be placed at the service of the integral good of the individual and of the
whole of humanity. If used wisely, they can contribute to the satisfaction of
the desire for meaning, truth and unity which remain the most profound
aspirations of each human being.

"In the digital world, transmitting information increasingly means making it
known within a social network where knowledge is shared in the context of
personal exchanges. The clear distinction between the producer and consumer of
information is relativised and communication appears not only as an exchange of
data, but also as a form of sharing. ... On the other hand, this is contrasted
with the limits typical of digital communication: the one-sidedness of the
interaction, the tendency to communicate only some parts of one's interior
world, the risk of constructing a false image of oneself, which can become a
form of self-indulgence".

"Ever greater involvement in the public digital forum, created by the so-
called social networks, helps to establish new forms of interpersonal
relations, influences self-awareness and therefore inevitably poses questions
not only of how to act properly, but also about the authenticity of one's own
being. .... In the search for sharing, for 'friends', there is the challenge to
be authentic and faithful, and not give in to the illusion of constructing an
artificial public profile for oneself.

"The new technologies allow people to meet each other beyond the confines of
space and of their own culture, creating in this way an entirely new world of
potential friendships. This is a great opportunity, but it also requires
greater attention to and awareness of possible risks. Who is my 'neighbour' in
this new world? Does the danger exist that we may be less present to those whom
we encounter in our everyday life? Is there is a risk of being more distracted
because our attention is fragmented and absorbed in a world 'other' than the
one in which we live? Do we have time to reflect critically on our choices and
to foster human relationships which are truly deep and lasting? It is important
always to remember that virtual contact cannot and must not take the place of
direct human contact with people at every level of our lives".

"To proclaim the Gospel through the new media means not only to insert
expressly religious content into different media platforms, but also to witness
consistently, in one's own digital profile and in the way one communicates
choices, preferences and judgements that are fully consistent with the Gospel,
even when it is not spoken of specifically. Furthermore, it is also true in the
digital world that a message cannot be proclaimed without a consistent witness
on the part of the one who proclaims it.".

"We must be aware that the truth which we long to share does not derive its
worth from its 'popularity' or from the amount of attention it receives. We
must make it known in its integrity, instead of seeking to make it acceptable
or diluting it. It must become daily nourishment and not a fleeting attraction.

"The truth of the Gospel is not something to be consumed or used superficially;
rather it is a gift that calls for a free response. Even when it is proclaimed
in the virtual space of the web, the Gospel demands to be incarnated in the
real world and linked to the real faces of our brothers and sisters, those with
whom we share our daily lives. Direct human relations always remain fundamental
for the transmission of the faith!

"I would like then to invite Christians, confidently and with an informed and
responsible creativity, to join the network of relationships which the digital
era has made possible. This is not simply to satisfy the desire to be present,
but because this network is an integral part of human life. The web is
contributing to the development of new and more complex intellectual and
spiritual horizons, new forms of shared awareness. In this field too we are
called to proclaim our faith that Christ is God".

"The proclamation of the Gospel requires a communication which is at once
respectful and sensitive, which stimulates the heart and moves the conscience;
one which reflects the example of the risen Jesus when He joined the disciples
on the way to Emmaus".

"In the final analysis, the truth of Christ is the full and authentic response
to that human desire for relationship, communion and meaning which is reflected
in the immense popularity of social networks. Believers who bear witness to
their most profound convictions greatly help prevent the web from becoming an
instrument which depersonalises people, attempts to manipulate them emotionally
or allows those who are powerful to monopolise the opinions of others. On the
contrary, believers encourage everyone to keep alive the eternal human
questions which testify to our desire for transcendence and our longing for
authentic forms of life, truly worthy of being lived. It is precisely this
uniquely human spiritual yearning which inspires our quest for truth and for
communion and which impels us to communicate with integrity and honesty.

"I invite young people above all to make good use of their presence in the
digital world. I repeat my invitation to them for the next World Youth Day in
Madrid, where the new technologies are contributing greatly to the
preparations".
MESS/VIS 20110124 (1110)

SUMMARY

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