PAPAL PRAYER INTENTIONS FOR SEPTEMBER
VATICAN CITY, SEP 2, 2006 (VIS) - The Holy Father's general prayer intention for the month of September is: "That those who use the means of social communication may always do so conscientiously and responsibly."
His mission intention is: "That in the mission territories the entire People of God may recognize that permanent formation is their own priority."
POPE-PRAYER INTENTIONS/SEPTEMBER/... VIS 060904 (70)
Do you think the Holy Father's words, "the means of social communication" is a reference to social blogging? Like Myspace, etc.? Just a thought. Maybe it would include email, instant messaging, etc. too. Or is there some other obvious meaning that I'm not thinking of.
May the Lord hear these prayers of our Holy Father and may we all communicate online or otherwise conscientiously, responsibly, and in accord with the Lord's will.
3 comments:
His Holiness may not have specifically meant blogs, but I think they're certainly covered.
This is timely because I recently discovered blogs of several young people whom I know, which are far too revealing (cell phone numbers, school name, class schedules, etc.). Any predator could use this information to locate these kids and inveigle their way into their confidence.
Some of the blogs (on both MySpace and LiveJournal) also contain disturbingly obscene content -- probably much of it false hubris, but probably some amount of truth. These kids need to understand that this information is public, and will certainly come back to haunt them as they mature.
These are not private journals kept hidden under a mattress later to be burned in embarrassment, they're out there for anyone to see.
So, yes -- let us pray "that those who use the means of social communication may always do so conscientiously and responsibly."
Ruthann
I'm concerned too, Ruthann, about the dangerous person detail and obscene content of social blogs. in fact, I won't let my kids go on MySpace or have a site on them, although they say all their friends do. My college kids do, but not my younger ones. Does you son have a social blog?
My son doesn't have a blog, although I set one up for him a few years ago thinking it would encourage him to keep a journal. He didn't take to it, and has disdain for his acquaintenances who do.
I discovered the blogs I mentioned in my original post while Googling for something about the school. One blog led me to another, and I was appalled at what these young people have out there for anyone to see. Who and where they are, and loads of real or imagined escapades.
They don't realize that this silliness will come back to bite them in the behind, either by exposing them to great embarrassment, or to something much more dangerous.
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