Pope Encouraged Prelates to Better Communication
VATICAN CITY, MAY 14, 2007 ( Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI's call to use media in the new evangelization of Latin America "underlined a crucial theme for today's world," said a member of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications.
Leticia Soberón, who is also the general coordinator of the Red Informática de la Iglesia en América Latina (Information Network of the Church in Latin America), made these comments to ZENIT after the Pope delivered his opening address Sunday to open the 5th General Conference of the Episcopate of Latin America and the Caribbean.
The Pope said in his opening statement: "We must not limit ourselves solely to homilies, lectures, Bible courses or theology courses, but we must have recourse also to the communications media: press, radio and television, Web sites, forums and many other methods for effectively communicating the message of Christ to a large number of people."
Soberón said that it "is providential that the Church in Latin America has a greater media presence than ever to dialogue with the world, to offer its message and create areas for meeting and communion."
"The Church is publishing numerous periodicals and reviews," she added. "It is present among the people through a network of Catholic radio stations which are very educational, articulate and important. There are also a growing number of Catholic television networks and Catholic Web pages."
The media professional said that the Information Network of the Church in Latin America serves "as a cornerstone of communication in the bishops' conferences and dioceses," and is also present within the conference of Latin American bishops "offering communications support."
Soberón said, "All of this is offered to the bishops as a sort of platform for the most beautiful of messages, and at the same time as an educational tool to use a new means to communicate the Gospel."
Code: ZE07051402
Date: 2007-05-14