2. The Year of Faith
⢠Reading once again the teachings of the Second
Vatican Council â www.vatican.va (theyâre free!)
⢠Inter Mirifica, the Decree on the means of Social
Communication: 4 December 1963
⢠âManâs genius has with Godâs help produced marvelous
technical inventions from creation, especially in our
times. The Church, our mother, is particularly interested
in those which directly touch upon manâs spirit and
which have opened up new avenues of easy
communication of all kinds of news, of ideas and
orientations.â (IM 1)
⢠Taking up the mission of Evangelization
3. What do we mean by âMediaâ?
The meaning of the word The expression of the meaning
⢠âMediaâ is the plural form of ⢠In 1963, what did this mean?
the Latin word ⢠Press
âmediumâ, which has relatively ⢠Cinema
the same meaning in English. ⢠Radio
⢠Other ways of translating the ⢠Television
word âmediumâ can be
⢠In 2012, this takes on a whole new
âinstrumentâ, âmeansâ. meaning
⢠âfor the public,â âbefore the ⢠Press, Cinema, Radio, Television
public,â âfor the public good,â ⢠Facebook
âfor the care of the public ⢠Twitter
good,â âfor the good of allâ
⢠Etc.
4. What is the âPowerâ of Social
Communication?
â[The media] contribute
greatly to the ââŚman can use them in
enlargement of menâs ways that are contrary to
the Creatorâs design and
minds and to the damaging to himself. âŚ
propagation and [The Church] grieves with
consolidation of the a motherâs sorrow at the
kingdom of God.â (IM 2) harm all too often inflicted
on society by their
misuse.â (IM 2)
5. The obligation to use Social Media
âAll authority in heaven and âThe Catholic Church was founded by
Christ our Lord to bring salvation to
on earth has been given to all men. It feels, obliged, therefore, to
me. Go, therefore, and make preach the gospel. In the same way, it
disciples of all believes that its task involves
employing the means of social
nations, baptizing them in communication to announce the
the name of the Father and good news of salvation and to teach
of the Son and of the Holy men how to use them properly.
Spirit, teaching them to It is the Churchâs birthright to use and
observe all that I have own any of these media which are
necessary and useful for the
commanded you; and formulation of Christians and for
behold, I am with you pastoral activity.â
always, to the close of the - IM, 3
age.â â Matthew 28:18-20
6. Principles for the Laity & Social Media
⢠â⌠it is principally for laymen to animate these media with a
Christian and human spirit and to ensure that they live up to
humanityâs hopes for them, in accordance with Godâs design.â (IM
3)
⢠âLaymen who work professionally in these media should endeavor
to bear witness to Christ: first of all, by doing their work
competently and in an apostolic spirit, secondly by collaborating
directly, each one according to his ability, in the pastoral activity of
the Church, making a technical, economic, cultural, or artistic
contribution.â (IM 14)
⢠âLay people must be given the necessary technical, doctrinal and
moral formation.â (IM 15)
⢠âIf the media are to be correctly employed, it is essential that all
who use them know the principles of the moral order and apply
them faithfully in this domain.â (IM 3)
7. Principles for the Laity & Social Media
⢠Information, news, facts, happenings should be âcommunicated
publically and without delayâ to give people sufficient information
so as to contribute to the common good and progress of society.
(IM 4)
⢠The âright to informationâ: communication should be âtrue and
completeâ within the limits of justice and charity
⢠All art and media are subjected to âthe absolute primacy of the
objective moral order.â (IM 6)
⢠Limits placed on the âdescription and representation of moral evilâ
need to be in place. (IM 7)
⢠The responsibility to safeguard against poor influence on public
opinion and the formation of society. (IM 8)
⢠Responsibility toward the young â both by producers of media and
those who teach the young how to use media. (throughout IM)
8. Forming the Young to responsibly use
media both as Producers & Consumers
⢠Formation of a âcorrect conscience on the use of the mediaâ (IM 5)
⢠Social Communication must be used with a âproperly motivated
selectivityâ looking specially toward âwhatever excels in virtue, culture
and artâ (IM 9)
⢠âThose who are at the receiving end of the media, and especially the
young, should learn moderation and discipline in their use of them. They
should aim to understand fully what they see, hear and read. They should
discuss them with their teachers and with experts in such matters and
should learn to reach correct judgments. Parents on their part should
remember that it is their duty to see that entertainments and publications
which might endanger faith and morals do not enter their houses and
that their children are not exposed to them elsewhere.â (IM 10)
⢠Civil authorities: âSpecial measures should be taken to protect
adolescents from publications and entertainments harmful to them.â (IM
12)
9. Using Social Communications for the
Faith in our schools
⢠âAll the members of the Church should make a concerted effort to ensure
that the means of communications are put at the service of the multiple
forms of the apostolate without delay and as energetically as
possible, where and when they are needed.â (IM 13)
⢠â[Members of the Church] need the instruction and practical experience if
they are to use the media properly. Projects designed to effect
this, especially among the young, should be encouraged and multiplied in
Catholic schools at all levels ⌠and should be directed in accordance with
the principles of Christian morality.â (IM 16)
10. What do these âprojectsâ look like?
@elizabethf tweeted: â#yearoffaith Faith
makes me have confidence in myself and
THIS IS my friends.â
@nathanc tweeted: â#yearoffaith Faith
makes me think of God and gets me
YOUR through hard times.â
@ryleeh tweeted: â#yearoffaith Faith
means to let Jesus catch you and make you
calm.â
WORK! @omarih tweeted: â#yearoffaith Faith to
me is to learn about God and share the
Good News.â