A New Approach to A New Approach to Communication and Communication and Pastoral MinistryPastoral Ministry

The Church & The Church & CommunicationsCommunications• ““Go forth and teach all nations…”Go forth and teach all nations…”

The Church & The Church & CommunicationsCommunications

““The Church The Church isis Communications”Communications” Cardinal Avery DullesCardinal Avery Dulles

IntraIntra-Communication – -Communication – Finding God WithinFinding God Within

In the depths of In the depths of one’s being…one’s being…

IntraIntra-Communication – -Communication – Finding God WithinFinding God WithinMediatedMediated by by • Material creation Material creation • Environment Environment • BodyBody• SensesSenses• EmotionsEmotions• IntellectIntellect• Experiences - Experiences -

of love, joy, peace…of love, joy, peace…

Question!Question!

• Are pastoral Are pastoral agents trained agents trained to understand to understand and use media and use media for intra-for intra-personal personal communication?communication?

• Media EducationMedia Education

InterInter-Communication-Communication

Helping people Helping people discover God discover God

• in the worldin the world

• in othersin others

• in themselvesin themselves

InterInter-Communication-Communication• One-on-one One-on-one • Small & large Small & large

groupsgroups

InterInter-Communication-Communication

MediatedMediated by by

• Physical Physical characteristics characteristics

• Personal AttributesPersonal Attributes

• AccidentalsAccidentals

InterInter-Communication-Communication

MediatedMediated by by

TechnologyTechnology

Question!Question!• Are pastoral Are pastoral

agents agents sufficiently sufficiently trained in trained in interpersonal interpersonal communication communication and appropriate and appropriate use of use of media and media and AV ‘extensionsAV ‘extensions?’?’

Mass Communication:Mass Communication:Bringing God to Masses of PeopleBringing God to Masses of People

To Individuals in all corners of the worldTo Individuals in all corners of the world

Mass Communication:Mass Communication:Bringing God to Masses of PeopleBringing God to Masses of People

Physical GroupsPhysical Groups

Mass Communication:Mass Communication:Bringing Bringing GodGod to Masses of People to Masses of People

• To To VirtualVirtual Communities Communities

Mass CommunicationsMass Communications

Exposing people Exposing people not physically not physically presentpresent

to the values of to the values of Jesus Christ Jesus Christ

and the gifts of and the gifts of the Spiritthe Spirit

Mass CommunicationsMass Communications• Enabling people Enabling people

not physically not physically present to present to discover and discover and experience Godexperience God

Mass CommunicationsMass CommunicationsMediated by:Mediated by:

• Our bodies and Our bodies and accidentalsaccidentals

• Electronic Electronic extensions: extensions: radio, TV…radio, TV…

• Multimedia, Multimedia, hybrid hybrid extensions: extensions: cable, wireless, cable, wireless, blogs, blogs, websites…websites…

Question!Question!

Do we know how Do we know how to identify, to identify, nurture, and nurture, and train pastoral train pastoral agents with agents with potential for the potential for the mass media mass media apostolate? apostolate?

The New Areopagus…The New Areopagus…

Is the Areopagus of the Is the Areopagus of the Media…Media…

In a Highly Mediated In a Highly Mediated New Areopagus…New Areopagus…

Christ’s Christ’s MessageMessage

is inseparableis inseparablefrom the mediafrom the mediaused toused tocommunicate itcommunicate it

In a Highly Mediated In a Highly Mediated New Areopagus…New Areopagus…

Christ’s Christ’s MessageMessage

can be confined can be confined and confused byand confused bymediamedia

In a Highly Mediated In a Highly Mediated New Areopagus…New Areopagus…

Christ’s Christ’s MessageMessage

can be extended can be extended & enhanced by & enhanced by the media the media

In a Highly Mediated In a Highly Mediated New Areopagus…New Areopagus…

Christ’s Christ’s MessageMessage

is is the mediathe media

Question: What would Question: What would theythey do now? do now?• St. PaulSt. Paul

• Thomas AquinasThomas Aquinas

• Francis XavierFrancis Xavier

• Matteo RicciMatteo Ricci

Question!Question!• Are Are wewe doing what doing what

theythey would do to would do to equip our equip our seminarians, seminarians, priests, and priests, and religious to meet religious to meet the challenges and the challenges and opportunities of the opportunities of the New Areopagus?New Areopagus?

Training for Ministry in Training for Ministry in the New Areopagusthe New Areopagus• Training in TV Training in TV

and Video and Video ProductionProduction

Training for Ministry in Training for Ministry in the New Areopagusthe New Areopagus

Training in Training in Computer Computer Graphics and Graphics and DesignDesign

Training for Ministry in Training for Ministry in the New Areopagusthe New Areopagus

Training in Training in Website Design Website Design and and Construction…Construction…

Obstacles to MinistryObstacles to Ministry

The MediaThe Media

ObstaclesObstacles

GlobalizationGlobalization

ObstaclesObstacles

Post Post modernitymodernity

ObstaclesObstacles

TraditionTradition

ObstaclesObstacles

Overloaded Overloaded Curriculum Curriculum and Schedule and Schedule in Seminaries in Seminaries and Houses of and Houses of Relgious Relgious FormationFormation

The Solution?The Solution?

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