Pope's theme for 2011 World Day for Social Communications released
(Sept.29,2010) "Truth, Proclamation and Authenticity of Life in the Digital Age"
is the theme chosen by Pope Benedict XVI for World Communications Day 2011, the Pontifical
Council for Social Communications announced on Wednesday. No matter how many technological
gadgets and social networks communicators have at their disposal, faith and truth
cannot be communicated well without personal witness and authenticity, said the Pontifical
Council. . "Even in an age that is largely dominated, and at times conditioned, by
new technologies, the value of personal witness remains essential," it said. “To
approach the truth and to take on the task of sharing it, requires the 'guarantee'
of an authenticity of life from those who work in the media, and especially from Catholic
journalists," the Council said. Technology alone, cannot establish a communicator's
credibility, and it does not provide the values that need to be communicated, it said
and added "The truth must remain the firm and unchanging point of reference of new
media and the digital world, opening up new horizons of information and knowledge."
The full text of the message for World Communications Day will be released January
2011, the feast of St. Francis De Sales, patron of journalists.