Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Canberra (Agenzia Fides) - The Australian Bishops recently issued a Pastoral Letter on the Christians’ proper use of Internet, an instrument that has changed the lives of the planet, from children to adults. Their main objectives were: indicate the possibilities and the dangers of the web; warn the faithful, especially young people and children, of the threats presented by Internet, promoting a critical use of modern technologies, placing them at the service of man and the spread of the Gospel.
As Agenzia Fides has been informed by local Church sources, the novelty is that the Letter has been made available, in addition to the written format, in a video-message that is located on-line at YouTube, with the title “Pastoral Letter on Internet Safety”. In the video, Bishop Peter Ingham of Wollongong, addresses the faithful as a loving and caring Pastor, speaking for the good of his flock.
As Agenzia Fides was informed by local Church sources, in the Bishops’ choice to use this manner to transmit their message, the Church affirms the fact that the intention is not to condemn or “excommunicate” the Internet. In fact, the Bishops point out that it has brought great advantages to modern society, providing information and communication in an efficacious manner, making many people’s lives simpler through its contribution to change and to human and business relations. On the other hand, however, the Internet also has the capacity to lead children and adolescents into temptations and dangerous exploration that can be harmful to their human, psychological, affective, and social growth.
This is why the message asks the family to “guarantee a prudent use of the Internet,” to be vigilant in making sure that children who use Internet are not at risk and that they do not fall into its dangerous traps. More specifically, the Letter encourages families to install special filters in their Internet connections that prevent access to dangerous sites (e.g. with pornography and violence, etc.) and to regulate their children’s use of the computer.
In the video-message, Bishop Ingham says that, “If only a few people see this video message and think over the points raised, it will be most worthwhile.”
In 2006, the Australian Bishops published a Pastoral Letter entitled, “Go Tell Everyone,” on the Church and the media (see Fides 17/2/2006). In the document, which marks the guidelines for the Catholic Church in Australia in the area of communications and the new technologies, the Bishops affirmed the hope to increase the Catholic presence in the media and to use the “new pulpits” for evangelization. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 30/4/2008; righe 33, parole 423)
