Your Pope's hip; he knows what cooks!*

(Photo source: American Papist)

Friday saw the launch of the Vatican's latest evangelical effort, it's own YouTube Channel. It was done in conjunction with the release of his message for the 43rd World Communications Day, 2009.

& once again the Main Stream Media shows it doesn't get it. In an International Herald Tribune article it says: "The 81-year-old pope has been extremely wary of new media, warning about what he has called the tendency of entertainment media, in particular, to trivialize sex and promote violence." (Vatican launches YouTube channel) Wrong. The Pope isn't wary of the new media. He is against the misuse of the media, old & new, to trivialize sex & promote violence among other things. He fully supports the use of any media to spread the Gospel.

In fact in the above mentioned message the Papa Benedetto says: "I would like to conclude this message by addressing myself, in particular, to young Catholic believers: to encourage them to bring the witness of their faith to the digital world. Dear Brothers and Sisters, I ask you to introduce into the culture of this new environment of communications and information technology the values on which you have built your lives. In the early life of the Church, the great Apostles and their disciples brought the Good News of Jesus to the Greek and Roman world. Just as, at that time, a fruitful evangelization required that careful attention be given to understanding the culture and customs of those pagan peoples so that the truth of the gospel would touch their hearts and minds, so also today, the proclamation of Christ in the world of new technologies requires a profound knowledge of this world if the technologies are to serve our mission adequately. It falls, in particular, to young people, who have an almost spontaneous affinity for the new means of communication, to take on the responsibility for the evangelization of this "digital continent". Be sure to announce the Gospel to your contemporaries with enthusiasm. You know their fears and their hopes, their aspirations and their disappointments: the greatest gift you can give to them is to share with them the "Good News" of a God who became man, who suffered, died and rose again to save all people. Human hearts are yearning for a world where love endures, where gifts are shared, where unity is built, where freedom finds meaning in truth, and where identity is found in respectful communion. Our faith can respond to these expectations: may you become its heralds! The Pope accompanies you with his prayers and his blessing."(emphasis mine)

That doesn't exactly sound like wary, more like enthusiasm to me. But as I said in an earlier post, the MSM doesn't get it. & it doesn't want to. It wants to present the Catholic Church in a false light wherever it can.

The Vatican You Tube Channel describes itself thus: "This channel offers news coverage of the main activities of the Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI and of relevant Vatican events.It is updated daily.Video images are produced by Centro Televisio Vaticano (CTV), texts by Vatican Radio (RV) and CTV.This video-news presents the Catholic Churchs position regarding the principal issues of the world today.Links give access to the full and official texts of cited documents."

Unfortunately, they don't allow embeding or I would have put up the introductory video. I can see it in a way as it will prevent misuse by virilent anti-Catholics. But they allow comments (for now). So watch to see if the attacks pop up there.

As Papa Benedetto says, digital communication is the new Aeropagus. & like St. Paul we need to use it to get the message of the Gospel out there. It looks like they are off to a good start in this latest addition to their internet outreach.

I also love the fact that the image they opted for was that of St. Peter holding the keys of the kingdom. It is a reminder of the continuity of the Church's evangelical mission from then to now as well as the continuity of the Papacy. It looks like St. Peter is saying: "You better pay attention to my successor. Or else it might just get a little hot for you!"

* Slighty adjusted from the Coasters' Yakety Yak (Don't Talk Back) for those who don't get it. You know, some dissidents could take a lesson from the lyrics.