Pontifical Media Council Debates Challenges of "Digital Culture"

(Oct.28, 2009): The Vatican's media council is currently taking place in Rome to work on a pastoral instruction that will demonstrate a willingness to dialogue with the "digital culture." Archbishop Claudio Maria Celli, president of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, spoke of the need for a new instruction on the mean of communication, when he addressed the plenary assembly of the Council that concludes on Thursday.
The last document of pastoral guidance for the Church's communicative commitment "Aetatis Novae" was issued in 1992. Since then, Archbishop Celli told the assembly, communication "has not only changed its rhythm, but in some cases also its nature." The draft presented by the council was written with the help of "academic experts in the art of communication," explained the Italian prelate. The draft "addresses only some aspects," he added "We have not wished to enunciate the pastoral prospects for the future as the latter should arise from the work of this plenary assembly. "It is for us to single out and specify the prospects at the pastoral level that might be of help for the local Churches in this field." As a guideline, Archbishop Celli noted that the pastoral program should offer "a clear willingness for a frank and open dialogue with the 'digital culture.'"