(February 13, 2010) The head of Vatican’s communication office today urged the Indian
Church to take on the web world to “give it a soul” and offer pastoral care to the
growing internet communities. Archbishop Claudio Maria Celli, the president of Pontifical
Council for Social Communication, said the “biggest challenge” before the Church is
to “learn how to enter the web world.” The prelate was addressing a three day seminar
of diocesan communication officials in India that discussed challenges of their job
in the modern world. Pastoral ministry in the digital world and the increasing internet
communities are “great challenges” before priests across the world, Archbishop Celli
said. The internet has made communication easier, knowledge sharing faster and cultures
closer. It has also brought people together creating transnational digital communities.
While such progress is welcome, the Church has a duty to check its ill effects such
as social distractions, materialism and mindless pleasure hunting, the prelate said.
The Church has a duty to give “web a soul,” but the Church people are lagging behind.
Most dioceses are “web zero” as their web sites continue in the initial stages without
making use of the advancement of technology. The Church’s priests and bishops should
start blogs to share information and to offer guidance, he said. He also wanted the
global Church start a website specially aimed at youth across the world to help their
growth and to answer their issues. The archbishop lauded Indian Church’s communication
efforts and said the course material would be a model for other national churches
to follow.