14 DAY TRIAL // You might not think it but Pope Benedict XVI is proving to be quite the social media advocate, at least some of the time. During his short tenure, he has launched a YouTube channel, a Facebook app and an iPhone app. And he's not done yet, he is now urging clergy men and women to make good use of the new communication channels, specifically blogs, to spread the word of God.
In his lengthy message, ahead of the 44th World Day of Communications, posted on a remarkably 'web 1.0' website, he encourages priests and other members of the Church to be more active online and engage more with the people where ever they may be conversing. This means getting involved in online communities, not just putting stuff online and hoping someone finds it.
"The spread of multimedia communications and its rich “menu of options” might make us think it sufficient simply to be present on the Web, or to see it only as a space to be filled. Yet priests can rightly be expected to be present in the world of digital communications as faithful witnesses to the Gospel, exercising their proper role as leaders of communities which increasingly express themselves with the different “voices” provided by the digital marketplace," the message reads.
Nevermind he's the pope, he seems remarkably in touch with the latest developments for a man his age. Obviously, in his position he has to be but let's not forget the Vatican has quite a few people working in its 'PR department'. And whatever you might think about the Catholic Church, you can be sure that there are quite a few bright people in relatively high places who know what they are talking about. This would also explain some of the contradictions in some of his other addresses on the matter as, in 2009's message for the World Day of Communications, he was a lot more circumspect about the web and social media in particular.