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November 9, 7:34 AMColumbus Catholic ExaminerPat Krukenkamp-Maskell

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On October 29, 2009, during a meeting with the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, Pope Benedict XVI encouraged the Church to get a, “new attitude” in “proclaiming the Gospel to people of the third millennium.”  The Pope presented information concerning new technology, not only in television, radio or the Internet, but also through other mass media forms in which the audience participates in generating content.  He said, “[the] Church must adapt to the way media are impacting culture.”

The Pope identified one of the components of the new media culture is its multimedia and interactive structure.  He went on to instruct the Church to learn how to bring the Gospel message to new generations by taking advantage of the new technologies.  The new evangelization must include the new communications media.

The Pontifical Council for Social Communications was called by Pope Benedict to study the new media culture and offer ethical guidance, “to promote a culture of respect for the dignity and value of the human person, a dialogue rooted in sincere search for truth and friendship that is not an end in itself, but is capable of developing the talents of each person to put them at the service of the human community.”

A few media sources to consider in Columbus:  St. Gabriel Catholic Radio, 1580 AM, and EWTN on cable televisions stations.  The Columbus Diocese has its own weekly paper, The Catholic Times.  To the right of this column you will find an array of internet links to sites that contain information about the Catholic Church including timely informative articles, YouTube and other video offerings, as well as links to Catholic Institutions.  If you need to find a Mass schedule, that is on the internet too.  You can become a member of a Yahoo group, or a “Facebook Fan” of groups such as: The Catholic Church, Saints of the Day, and St. Francis de Sales.  Through the “Fan pages” users are welcome to post their comments.  Twitter text messages immediate thoughts throughout their users.

The media choices above are just the beginning.  Communications technology is moving ahead at lightening speeds.  It is time to test the theology of virtual reality.  For a preview of what the Pontifical Council for Social Communications will be including in their study, please read the following book:  At the Interface:  Theology and Virtual Reality, by Mary Timothy Prokes, FSE.