|
MESSAGE
OF THE HOLY FATHER
FOR 36th WORLD COMMUNICATIONS DAY 2002
May 12
released January 24, 2002, the Feast of Saint
Francis de Sales
Theme: Internet - A New Forum for Proclaiming
the Gospel
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
1. The Church in every age continues the work begun on the day
of Pentecost, when the Apostles, in the power of the Holy Spirit,
went forth into the streets of Jerusalem to preach the Gospel
of Jesus Christ in many tongues (cf. Acts 2:5-11). Through the
succeeding centuries, this evangelizing mission spread to the
far corners of the earth, as Christianity took root in many places
and learned to speak the diverse languages of the world, always
in obedience to Christ´s command to preach the Gospel to
every nation (cf. Mt 28:19-20).
However, the history of evangelization is not just a matter of
geographic expansion, for the Church has also had to cross many
cultural thresholds, each of which called for fresh energy and
imagination in proclaiming the one Gospel of Jesus Christ. The
age of the great discoveries, the Renaissance and the invention
of printing, the Industrial Revolution and the birth of the modern
world: these, too, were threshold moments that demanded new forms
of evangelization. Now, with the communications and information
revolution in full swing, the Church stands unmistakably at another
decisive gateway. It is fitting, therefore, that on this World
Communications Day 2002 we should reflect on the subject: "Internet:
A New Forum for Proclaiming the Gospel."
2. The Internet is certainly a new "forum" understood
in the ancient Roman sense of that public space where politics
and business were transacted, where religious duties were fulfilled,
where much of the social life of the city took place, and where
the best and the worst of human nature was on display. lt was
a crowded and bustling urban space, which both reflected the surrounding
culture and created a culture of its own. This is no less true
of cyberspace, which is as it were a new frontier opening up at
the beginning of this new millennium. Like the new frontiers of
other times, this one, too, is full of the interplay of danger
and promise, and not without the sense of adventure which marked
other great periods of change. For the Church the new world of
cyberspace is a summons to the great adventure of using its potential
to proclaim the Gospel message. This challenge is at the heart
of what it means at the beginning of the millennium to follow
the Lord´s command to "put out into the deep":
Duc in altum! (Lk 5:4).
3. The Church approaches this new medium with realism and confidence.
Like other communications media, it is a means, not an end in
itself. The Internet can offer magnificent opportunities for evangelization,
if used with competence and a clear awareness of its strengths
and weaknesses. Above all, by providing information and stirring
interest, it makes possible an initial encounter with the Christian
message, especially among the young who increasingly turn to the
world of cyberspace as a window on the world. It is important,
therefore, that the Christian community think of very practical
ways of helping those who first make contact through the Internet,
to move from the virtual world of cyberspace to the real world
of Christian community.
At a subsequent stage, the Internet can also provide the kind
of follow-up that evangelization requires. Especially in an unsupportive
culture, Christian living calls for continuing instruction and
catechesis, and this is perhaps the area in which the Internet
can provide excellent help. There already exist on the Net countless
sources of information, documentation, and education about the
Church, her history and tradition, her doctrine and her engagement
in every field in all parts of the world. It is clear, then, that
while the Internet can never replace that profound experience
of God which only the living, liturgical, and sacramental life
of the Church can offer, it can certainly provide a unique supplement
and support in both preparing for the encounter with Christ in
community, and sustaining the new believer in the journey of faith
which then begins.
4. There are nevertheless certain necessary, even obvious, questions
which arise in using the Internet in the cause of evangelization.
The essence of the Internet, in fact, is that it provides an almost
unending flood of information, much of which passes in a moment.
In a culture which feeds on the ephemeral there can easily be
a risk of believing that it is facts that matter, rather than
values. The Internet offers extensive knowledge, but it does not
teach values; and when values are disregarded, our very humanity
is demeaned and man easily loses sight of his transcendent dignity.
Despite its enormous potential for good, some of the degrading
and damaging ways in which the Internet can be used are already
obvious to all, and public authorities surely have a responsibility
to guarantee that this marvellous instrument serves the common
good and does not become a source of harm.
Furthermore, the Internet radically redefines a person´s
psychological relationship to time and space. Attention is riveted
on what is tangible, useful, instantly available; the stimulus
for deeper thought and reflection may be lacking. Yet human beings
have a vital need for time and inner quiet to ponder and examine
life and its mysteries, and to grow gradually into a mature dominion
of themselves and of the world around them. Understanding and
wisdom are the fruit of a contemplative eye upon the world, and
do not come from a mere accumulation of facts, no matter how interesting.
They are the result of an insight which penetrates the deeper
meaning of things in relation to one another and to the whole
of reality. Moreover, as a forum in which practically everything
is acceptable and almost nothing is lasting, the Internet favours
a relativistic way of thinking and sometimes feeds the flight
from personal responsibility and commitment.
In such a context, how are we to cultivate that wisdom which
comes not just from information but from insight, the wisdom which
understands the difference between right and wrong, and sustains
the scale of values which flows from that difference?
5. The fact that through the Internet people multiply their contacts
in ways hitherto unthinkable opens up wonderful possibilities
for spreading the Gospel. However, it is also true that electronically
mediated relationships can never take the place of the direct
human contact required for genuine evangelization. For evangelization
always depends upon the personal witness of the one sent to evangelize
(cf. Rom 10:14-15). How does the Church lead from the kind of
contact made possible by the Internet to the deeper communication
demanded by Christian proclamation? How do we build upon the first
contact and exchange of information which the Internet makes possible?
There is no doubt that the electronic revolution holds out the
promise of great positive breakthroughs for the developing world;
but there is also the possibility that it will in fact aggravate
existing inequalities as the information and communications gap
widens. How can we ensure that the information and communications
revolution, which has the Internet as its prime engine, will work
in favor of the globalization of human development and solidarity,
objectives closely linked to the Church´s evangelizing mission?
Finally, in these troubled times, let me ask: how can we ensure
that this wondrous instrument first conceived in the context of
military operations can now serve the cause of peace? Can it favour
that culture of dialogue, participation, solidarity and reconciliation
without which peace cannot flourish? The Church believes it can;
and to ensure that this is what will happen, she is determined
to enter this new forum, armed with the Gospel of Christ, the
Prince of Peace.
6. The Internet causes billions of images to appear on millions
of computer monitors around the planet. From this galaxy of sight
and sound will the face of Christ emerge and the voice of Christ
be heard? For it is only when his face is seen and his voice heard
that the world will know the glad tidings of our redemption. This
is the purpose of evangelization. And this is what will make the
Internet a genuinely human space, for if there is no room for
Christ, there is no room for man. Therefore, on this World Communications
Day, I dare to summon the whole Church bravely to cross this new
threshold, to put out into the deep of the Net, so that now as
in the past the great engagement of the Gospel and culture may
show to the world "the glory of God on the face of Christ"
(2 Cor 4:6). May the Lord bless all those who work for this aim. JOANNES PAULUS II |
