Social+Networking+-+What+Does+the+Church+Have+to+Say

** Assignment #2 What Does the Church Have to Say About Social Networking? **
Expected time to complete reading and the written assignment: 15 - 45 minutes

Your assignment for this segment is to post a SHORT reflection paragraph about what you learned from reading ONE of the church publications listed below. Your reflection can be about anything you found interesting or relevant to your ministry in your reading. For example, you could reflect on your role as a catechist in maintaining a safe online environment in compliance with the diocesan guidelines. Or you could reflect on the themes related to moral responsibility that you read about in Inter Mirifica. Choose something that is interesting and relevant to you.

// Remember to select the "Edit" button, and add your name, the document you read, and your reflection below. When you are done, be sure to click on "Save." //

· World Communications Day Messages 2011 · [|USCCB Guidelines for Use of Social Media] · [|Diocese of St. Petersburg, Guidelines for Social Networking, 2011]

// Post your reflection paragraph below using the following format: //

Example: Name: Susan Smith Document you read: Diocese of St. Petersburg, Guidelines for Social Networking, 2011 My reflection paragraph: I was very happy to read the Diocesan guidelines for for Social Networking. I now have some guidelines to follow when I work with my students and other teachers. I also have something to present to my administrators that shows that the Church is open to using Social Networking. I appreciate the step-by-step instructions for setting up my school Facebook page, found in the appendix on page 13.

Name: Madeleine Vessel Document I read: Message of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI for the 45th World Communications day, June 5, 2011 My reflection paragraph: Pope Benedict XVI inspired me with his assurance that digital communication offers new and important “opportunities for establishing relationships and building fellowship” as long as care is taken not to favor it to the exclusion of real human contact and face-to-face interactions. He mentions that there is a Christian way of being present in the digital world: “this takes the form of a communication which is honest and open, responsible and respectful of others,” similar to the way Jesus behaved toward the disciples on the road to Emmaus. Because I am new to Facebook and Twitter, I appreciate the encouragement, the caution, and the model for taking Jesus' message into the virtual world.

Name: Sr. Sheila Patenaude, FMM Document read: Pope Benedict's 2011 World Communication Day message Reflection:

What impressed me about the Holy Father’s 2011 message to young people about the use of social media are the following concepts: sharing, dialogue, solidarity–as opposed to one person “preaching” or “teaching” another.

Pope Benedict XVI also points out the risk of projecting a false image of oneself online, but I believe there is also the danger of social media presenting a false image of the world, reality, morality, and human values. That is where the great potential for projecting truth and transparency come in, so that social media can fulfill its potential as a tool for evangelization and spreading the Good News

**Name:** Lorraine S. DeLuca
 * Document read: **USCCB Guidelines for Use of Social Media
 * My reflection paragraph:** I thought that the short document by the USCCB was very informative and helpful. It recognized the strengths of the different formats but wisely stated that "The strengths should match the needs." I learned that what you want to achieve should dictate the format used. Other thoughts that were helpful include the discussion on blogs and how important it is to monitor and keep them updated or else they will become useless. The statement of how social media blurs the distinction between creators and consumers made me think about how it cannot operate as a top down type of format. In one way that is very good, but also requires monitoring so that all statements are not accepted as automatically being in line with Church Teaching. I believe that a discussion or dialogue questioning Church teaching for the reason of coming to a new and deeper understanding is helpful as it can be in face-to-face classes. I also appreciated the section on definitions which clarified my understanding of the forms of social media.


 * Name:** Paul Jeffrey Thomas
 * Document:** USCCB Guidlines
 * Refelction:** I thought that the USCCB document does a good job explaining the basics and is a good outline in general for those who need a 101 in terminology and application. The actual "guidelines" section was predictable, but a good starting place for a diocese seeking to implement its own policy. To me it stated the obvious by using the lens of faith and doctrine to guide the use of technology. It was rather general, and I can see why some dioceses still struggle with implementing their own policy. I think the problem is the church acknowledges the reality and possibilities of using technology for the gospel, but they are trying to address it by somehow maintaining the same status quo and aura of being in control. So in many ways I think the institution is not only challenged by the technology itself, but by their inability to completely control its implementation. Perhaps this will lead the hierarchy to finally concede that it is about time to place more trust in the faithful and that their own traditional model of metering out truth needs to be reformatted. Technology is doing this to all of us and, barring a complete refusal to participate, it seems unavoidable that it has changed and will continue to change the delivery system of both faith and reason.


 * Name**: Andy Weiss
 * Document**: ** //MESSAGE OF HIS HOLINESS POPE BENEDICT XVI FOR THE 45th WORLD COMMUNICATIONS DAY// **
 * Reflection**:The Pope touched on several interesting and vital aspects of social networking, both the dangerous and the beneficial. I think it is vitally important for newbies to note how some people in social networking sites turn these things into social engineering sites by misrepresenting themselves - who they are and what they are about. There is also an ease to misunderstand to what someone is referring. Communication online and not face-to-face really makes communication much different than many are used to. There are no facial expressions that can be seen. Some software has the ability for the user to add small graphics like a wink or a nudge, yet even these things can be misconstrued. This is communication without non-verbals. The Pope wisely points this out. Yet there are also strengths like being able to share faith and make true and deep friendships when the people using the media are genuine and truly wish to connect with others. The Pope in other places has referred to the experiential component of faith and its expressions and social networking really facilitates this to the extent that one can voice what they have experienced in an intelligible manner. So then one has not only to be able to type and express ones' ideas clearly, but one has to also know thyself as the Greeks might say.

Name: Joanna Haston Document: //Inter Mirifica// Reflection: It was intriguing to learn that as far back as 1963 Pope Paul VI had the vision to write this DECREE ON THE MEDIA OF SOCIAL COMMUNICATIONS with vocabulary broad enough to apply to the technologies that continue to emerge in 2012. Referring then to the press, movies, radio and television, his appeal for true, complete, just, and charitable information reported in a proper and decent manner with respect for the laws of morality and the rights and dignity of individuals applies today with all the forms of social media. His special challenge to all the faithful, especially pastors and producers, to make effective use of - and to support with prayer and funding - the media of social communication, all for the common good, all to serve the cultural and moral betterment of audiences, is inspiring, as is the fact that we have national and diocesan offices of communication and World Communications Day as a result of this decree. I have resisted for far too long taking up the duty to announce the Good News with the help of social media and am grateful for this opportunity to get the technical training that I need to do so!

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