BEARING WITNESS TO THE FAITH THROUGH THE DIGITAL WORLD

This today from Vatican Information Service:

VATICAN CITY, 20 MAY 2009 (VIS) - At the end of his general audience, celebrated this morning in St. Peter's Square, the Pope made a brief appeal for World Communications Day, due to be held on Sunday 24 May.

Speaking English, the Holy Father recalled how in his Message for the Day this year "I am inviting all those who make use of the new technologies of communication, especially the young, to utilise them in a positive way and to realise the great potential of these means to build up bonds of friendship and solidarity that can contribute to a better world.

"The new technologies", he added, "have brought about fundamental shifts in the ways in which news and information are disseminated and in how people communicate and relate to each other. I wish to encourage all those who access cyberspace to be careful to maintain and promote a culture of respect, dialogue and authentic friendship where the values of truth, harmony and understanding can flourish.

"Young people in particular, I appeal to you: bear witness to your faith through the digital world! Employ these new technologies to make the Gospel known, so that the Good News of God's infinite love for all people, will resound in new ways across our increasingly technological world!"

AG/NEW TECHNOLOGIES/... VIS 090520 (230)

The Holy Father has put forth this morning the argument, if you will, that I have often proposed to fellow defenders of the Faith: We do a disservice when we "unplug" from the digital world (except of course for those who are divinely led to do so).

Removing the voices of witnesses to the Truth will leave this powerful digital medium in the hands of those who exploit it for evil means -- and an evil end.

Before the end of his earthly life, Pope John Paul II warned that we have already entered into the "final conflict" between the Church and the world. How long this final conflict will last is known to God alone. But, lest anyone "not get it," we are at war. We Catholics stand at the head of the "Army of Christendom." We must be engaged in the battle; that is what it means to be faithful.

To be faithfully engaged in the battle, we must use every legitimate means at our disposal to wage "holy war" through the spreading of the Holy Gospel; "so that the Good News of God's infinite love for all people, will resound in new ways across our increasingly technological world."

We can no more justify unplugging from cyberspace, than we can justify removing the Catholic presence from the marketplace, the public square, or the halls of government. Wherever people are - that is where the Catholic witness is needed - and is hungered for.

I firmly believe that the enemies of Truth hope that we will depart from the digital world, shaking its dust from our feet as we leave.

Let us remain then, and let us be faithful and unafraid: He who is in us is greater than he who is in the world.