Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Santiago (Agenzia Fides) – The Chilean Bishops' Conference has set up a website offering the Message of Pope Benedict XVI for the 44th World Day of Social Communications and other material for the celebration of this World Day, which in many countries is celebrated the Solemnity of Ascension or in the days preceding and following. The Pontifical Council for Social Communications made an invitation to the public to visit the website, along with other useful links for the celebration throughout the American continent. The text received by the Fides, invites the public to spread the word about the web address prepared by the Catholic community in Chile.
World Communications Day was introduced in 1966 by Pope Paul VI in order to highlight the importance of media in transmitting the Gospel message in today's society and each year has a theme established by the Holy Father with a special message.
In Chile, the Archdiocese of Santiago celebrated World Communications Day with a Mass presided by Bishop Cristián Contreras Villarroel, Auxiliary Bishop of Santiago, in El Sagrario parish, which was attended by nearly 100 mass media workers, including journalists from various areas of the mass media, church organizations, religious congregations, ecclesial movements, and parishes involved in this field. Among those present was the president of the Register of Journalists of Chile, Abraham Santibanez, the presenter of Teletrece, Soledad Onetti, the director of Publimetro, Matías Carvajal, and commentator Mariano Silva, among other distinguished journalists. At the offertory, they also presented instruments associated with new technologies: a laptop and a blackberry, in connection with the central theme of this World Day: “The Priest and the Pastoral Ministry in a Digital World: New Media in the Service of the Word.”
In his homily, Bishop Contreras said: "Communication means preaching Christ. True, we sometimes have to report on bad news. Of course, sometimes the reality is much more dramatic than we think or want to admit. But there is also a sign of the Christian community, which is not losing hope." (CE) (Agenzia Fides 05/15/2010)
