The Digital Highway

In his message for World Communications Day released last week, Pope Francis challenged the faithful to “boldly become citizens of the digital world.”

The technological world of communications is making our world smaller, Pope Francis writes. Amidst the many divisions that exist in the human family, media can help us to feel closer and to embrace solidarity with one another. The internet enhances the “culture of encounter,” and so, according to the Holy Father, it is a gift from God.

Modern methods of communication do not come without their problems. Speed leaves little time for reflection, he writes. People can also be more selective of what media they subscribe to, and their desire for connectivity can isolate them from their neighbors.

This does not mean that all forms of media should be rejected, Pope Francis writes. If we approach the digital world with virtue, with a commitment to times for silence and times for listening, then we can grow in our communicating and use media tools for the good.

The Gospel And The Computer Culture

The internet has become a playground for sinners. There are status updates for the prideful, photo albums for the envious, anonymous comments for the wrathful, search engines for the slothful, online stores for the greedy, worldwide access for the gluttonous, and new domains for the lustful.

The web is full of distractions, so much so, that it seems like Christians should steer clear of it altogether. But because it is very much a part of the world be live in, Blessed John Paul II urged Christians to keep in tune with new forms of technology. In his message for the 24^th World Communications Day, he reflected upon this point made in Gaudium et Spes, one of the four Apostolic Constitutions resulting from the Second Vatican Council:

Far from suggesting that the Church should stand aloof or try to isolate herself from the mainstream…the Council Fathers saw the Church as being in the very midst of human progress, sharing the experiences of the rest of humanity, seeking to understand them and to interpret them in the light of faith. It was for God's faithful people to make creative use of the new discoveries and technologies for the benefit of humanity and the fulfillment of God's plan for the world.

In the face of a “computer culture,” Blessed John Paul II focused on the good that could come out of new ways to communicate and make connections. He wrote:

With the advent of computer telecommunications and what are known as computer participation systems, the Church is offered further means for fulfilling her mission. Methods of facilitating communication and dialogue among her own members can strengthen the bonds of unity between them. Immediate access to information makes it possible for her to deepen her dialogue with the contemporary world.