Pope Benedict announces theme of World Communications Day (May 31, 2009)

According to Luke Coppen, editor of the Catholic Herald (UK), this story broke last week, i.e., the week ending October 3rd, but it seems to have been well buried. I only discovered it because the good Mr Coppen has written about it on his "Editor's Briefing", see this week's Catholic Herald on line. Google alerts on the Pope, which I receive daily, seem to have missed it. Mea culpa if it is I who have been less than vigilant.

Apparently the Holy Father has announced that the focus of the 2009 WCD will be: 'NEW TECHNOLOGIES, NEW RELATIONSHIPS: PROMOTING A CULTURE OF RESPECT, DIALOGUE AND FRIENDSHIP.' He will release his WCD message on Jan 24, the feast of St Francis de Sales, who as Mr Coppen reminds us, is patron of journalists. (Yes he is, but AS A PART OF HIS PATRONAGE OF ALL WRITERS AND AUTHORS. This is relevant considering the Herald editor's later remarks about some journalists resenting anyone else, eg. bloggers being able to comment freely in the public domain 'without a degree in journalism'.) However, in preparation for the new message, I recommend a reading of this year's. (at www.radiovaticana.org/enl/Articolo.asp?c=182137)

Mr Coppen goes on to report that 'some' predict Benedict's message in January next year, will be the first to refer directly to the blogosphere and he suggests that the Holy Father may come down against it because certain blogs in the Catholic domain, behave uncharitably and irresponsibly. In my experience it is more often the commenters who lack reason and charity. I wish everyone would use Fr Z's "Prayer Before Connecting to the Internet". (see next post and sidebar) In any case, however much the Holy Father must deplore certain blogs, there is little, even he could do to control them. I don't think he would want to. It is becoming clear that the Vatican DOES monitor the Blogosphere and therefore His Holiness will know that for every Sedevacantist blog, there are many others who constantly rise charitably and calmly in his defence. This Pope is blessed (to our great good) with myriad talents. Elsewhere, I have repeatedly lauded those that are spiritual. However, when he issues his WCD message next January, I think he will yet again demonstrate his great wisdom and perspicacity in worldly matters. Moreover, it would be astonishing if he does not, like the rest of us, use the Catholic 'blogosphere' as a barometer of the full range of Catholic opinion about the Church and his Pontificate.

As to the not very serious idea of Imprimaturs for blogs - oh please! I've had three books published by arguably the biggest 'Catholic' publisher in UK. Noone in that 'house' ever suggested that my work be scrutinised for a Nihil Obstat or Imprimatur before publication. By 2002 when my first book was published, that whole system seems to have become a dead duck. If it's not enforced for books, how can it possibly be enforced for blogs? Actually, I was rather disappointed and would have been happy to be called before Cardinal Ratzinger, had there been error in my writings.

In May this year, I sent his Holiness my books and his office has been silent, although of course, I've received an official letter of thanks for the gift. He probably hasn't even seen them. They could be full of error for all he knows. What happens to all the presents he receives? The point I am making is that books or blogs, the Holy Father can't monitor everything even when a person actually gives him evidence of her orthodoxy or the reverse. Maybe one of the secretaries spottted my stuff and sent it straight to the CDF for investigation! If he didn't maybe I should send it there myself.

Enough - I'm confident that anyone prepared to write the following words above his/her blog need not fear Vatican censorship.

"To the best of my knowledge everything you read from my pen is in accord with the teaching of Holy Mother Church, of our Holy Father Benedict XVI, and of his predecessors. So help me God."

In Christo pro Papa,

Jane