Well maybe not explicitly, but today’s Vatican blogger meeting provided some encouragement:
http://www.osvdailytake.com/2011/05/vatican-blogging-meeting-vaticans.html?m=1
Spadaro began the panel by explaining that when it comes to blogging, “the Church needs to listen.” Blogging, in particular, is a medium used to get the message out. Everyone wants their voice to be heard, everyone wants to be known. But dialogue also requires a willingness to listen, to be open to new ideas. And that’s precisely what the Church and all the bloggers present are hoping to do at this conference. We are called, first of all, to listen.
Interestingly, Spadaro also explained that the Church hopes to connect with all bloggers, not just those with the most visitors. “We want to stimulate a wide dialogue with everyone,” Lombardi said. “The blogging culture is very much bottom-up. So this meeting is about far more than those present today. The Church needs to dialogue not only with the those bloggers on the top, but those throughout the spectrum.”
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Recognizing the value provided by bloggers, Lombardi then complimented the blogging community for their vital help in defending Church teaching. He specifically alluded to the controversy over birth control due to Pope Benedict’s book-length interview, Light of the World. Lombardi thanked bloggers for offering quick clarification in this case. The secular media, to a large extent, distorted and decontextualized the Pope’s view. But many online Catholics responded by loudly articulating the true views of Benedict and the Church
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Overall, Lombardi’s reflections revealed the Vatican’s primary attitude toward new media: curiosity and humility. Lombardi reiterated that because the Vatican is new to this whole shift and isn’t on the cutting edge of technology, the Church hopes to learn from the faithful how to harness these tools. In this way, the Body of Christ can work as one, using our strengths to overcome our weaknesses.
And from one of American Papist’s Tweets:
|www.news.va will eventually have iphone/ipad/andriod apps. WOW, the Vatican is entering the 21st century…. slowly, but surely. #vbm11
I’m so happy to hear that it went this way instead of trying to control, outlaw, register, persecute, prosecute and burn the steak. Now if only diocesan leadership can absorb the lesson too. There might be an opportunity for real dialogue which is so missing in many laity to hierarchy relationships, starting in the backwaters of the Rochester Diocese.
Well, Cleansing Fire IS the best blog EVERR, right?
Bishop Clark may have ruled the Diocese of Rochester with an iron fist for many years, but the Internet is now more powerful than Clark.
The wall of secrecy that surrounded him is now crumbling. All eyes and ears are upon him.
A group of his own employees are also counting the days until his retirement. Many priests and nuns would love to see Bishop Clark retire and move out of the diocese.
Next time anyone goes to Florida, pick up a bunch of retirement home flyers. With the sunshine and golf courses and such. Then save them for December or so… maybe January, when the snow gets annoying? And send them to him, one at a time. Anonymously. ^^