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New Movements and New Media

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 2024

Timothy Finigan
Timothy Finigan*
Affiliation:
Our Lady of the Rosary Church Blackfen, 330a Burnt Oak Lane Sidcup Kent DA15 8LW
*
blackfencatholic@gmail.com
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Abstract

While the emergence of “new Movements” characterise the pontificate of John Paul II, Benedict XVI's time is marked by the Catholic Church's use of new media. It began with Catholic websites and has moved on to blogging and tweeting. This is how the Church must communicate with younger people, until these are replaced by newer digital systems. Most blogs are dominated by a conservative version of Catholicism, but this may be what appeals to those young people who are still drawn to the Church. The disposability and built –in obsolescence of devices like tablets can be a problem compared with the comparative longevity of what they are replacing, namely books.

Keywords

Catholic Churchnew movementsmediablogstweets
Type
Original Article
Information
New Blackfriars , Volume 94 , Issue 1050 , March 2013 , pp. 223 - 235
Copyright
Copyright © 2013 The Author. New Blackfriars © 2013 The Dominican Council.

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References

1 This took place on 28 June 2011. The text of the tweet was: “Dear Friends, I just launched http://t.co/fVHpS9y Praised be our Lord Jesus Christ! With my prayers and blessings, Benedictus XVI”

2 Benedict, XVI, Light of the World. Pope, the Church, and the Signs of the Times. A Conversation with Peter Seewald, translated by Miller, Michael J. and Walker, Adrian J. (Catholic Truth Society, London, 2010)Google Scholar.

3 Terence, Phormio line 254.

4 See for example the figures published by Georgetown University affiliated research centre, CARA for the United States (http://cara.georgetown.edu/CARAServices/requestedchurchstats.html).

5 Catholic Voice of Lancaster, Editorial, February 2012.

6 The term “Web.2.0” was introduced as a way of describing the development of interaction on websites and, more loosely, websites that have dynamically updated content. “Web 1.0” is therefore a term indicating websites that have only pages with static content.

7 There is a lively debate on the blogs over how the older form of the Mass should be referred to. Most now reject the term “Tridentine Mass”, some insist on the term “Extraordinary Form”, others are less worried and will use various terms interchangeably. I am of the latter school.

8 Second Vatican Council, Decree on the Media of Social Communications, Inter Mirifica, 1963, n.13.

9 Inter Mirifica, n.15.

10 Reported by Vino Nuovo (http://www.vinonuovo.it/index.php?l=it&art=412).

11 http://en.radiovaticana.va/articolo.asp?c=483948

12 Transcribed from a Vatican Radio interview.

13 Message of the Holy Father, Benedict XVI for the 43rd World Communications Day, “New Technologies, New Relationships, Promoting a Culture of Respect, Dialogue and Friendship” Sunday, 24 May 2009.

14 Message of the Holy Father, Benedict XVI for the 44th World Communications Day, “The Priest and Pastoral Ministry in a Digital World: New Media at the Service of the Word”, Sunday, 16 May 2010.

15 Message of the Holy Father, Benedict XVI for the 45th World Communications Day, “Truth, Proclamation and Authenticity of Life in the Digital Age”, June 5, 2011.