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Digital continent next in the Vatican's sights

Wed, 27 Oct 2010

The ‘digital’ continent is the next stage in world exploration according to a senior Vatican official and the Vatican has this new continent firmly in their sights.

Monsignor Paul Tighe of the Vatican’s Pontifical Council of Social Communication was in Darwin discussing the use of social media and communication at the Catholic Church.

“The Church has always tried to take the teachings of Jesus Christ to new continents across the world as they’ve been discovered,” said Monsignor Tighe.

“We see the digital continent as an extension of world exploration and a new place to introduce the teachings of the Church.”

The Vatican’s Pope2You.net website, launched in 2009, received five million hits in its first four days. It included a Facebook application, iPhone application, a link to a YouTube channel and a live stream of activities in St Peter’s Square.

“The site also got picked up by media all around the world,” said Monsignor Tighe.

“We got coverage in all kinds of magazines and newspapers where we would never usually have the opportunity to speak.”

Monsignor Tighe advocates the importance of communication as core to the activities of the Catholic Church, starting from Jesus telling his disciples 2,000 years ago to spread the good news of the bible throughout the world. But he also stressed the importance of digital communication in the modern age.

“YouTube is the modern day equivalent of the marketplace,” he said.

“It’s where people are gathering.”

“As early as 1990 Pope John Paul II said ‘it is necessary to integrate our message into the ‘new culture’ created by modern communications.’”

“New technologies are a gift to humanity. They help us to communicate and share knowledge.”

Monsignor Tighe freely admits that the Vatican faces challenges in adapting to the social media marketplace and says that in many cases the best work in this area is being done locally.

“The Church’s strategy for working in the new media environment will develop organically,” said Monsignor Tighe.

“Our approach needs to view the web as a place for developing dialogue, not just as a place where you can visit your favourite website and read information that will reinforce what you already think to be true.”

“At the moment the best things are happening locally. We need to look at what is working at a local level, pick the best ideas that we think will work on a global scale and spread these ideas across the world.”

For those who are not comfortable in the digital space, Monsignor Tighe offered words of hope.

“We don’t all have to be gurus,” he said.

“You can still create the message but you don’t have to master the technology. Work in collaboration with young people who have an intuitive knowledge of how these things work.”

Monsignor Tighe was speaking at the 2010 Public Relations Institute of Australia National Conference at the Darwin Convention Centre along with representatives from Virgin Galactic, James Hardie and BBC Australia.

For more information contact:

Janelle Rees
Creative Territory
T: 8941 9169
E: janelle@creativeterriory.com

ABOUT THE PUBLIC RELATIONS INSTITUTE OF AUSTRALIA

The Public Relations Institute of Australia (PRIA) is the national industry body for public relations and communication professionals in Australia. PRIA represents and provides professional support and recognition to over 3,000 individual practitioners and more than 175 consultancies nationwide.

Last Updated: December 2, 2010