Pope Francis Quotes and News: Who Invented the Internet? For the Pontiff, It Was God
Pope Francis is tackling an entity that most do not typically associate with religious leaders or the Catholic Church. In honor of World Communications Day, Pope Francis offered his opinion on the great mysterious entity that is the Internet.
The 48th World Communications Day will be held on Jun. 1, 2014. In order to help the world prepare, Pope Francis has released a message called "Communication at the Service of an Authentic Culture of Encounter." In the statement, which comes as a letter, the Pope explains that the Internet is another example of the grace of God.
"A culture of encounter demands that we be ready not only to give, but also to receive. Media can help us greatly in this, especially nowadays, when the networks of human communication have made unprecedented advances," Pope Francis wrote. "The internet, in particular, offers immense possibilities for encounter and solidarity. This is something truly good, a gift from God."
It seems that Pope Francis is giving everyone the okay to have fun with the Internet's fascinating and luring features. Showing just how hip he is, Pope Francis even took some time to discuss the impact of social media and how it is far from perfect.
"The desire for digital connectivity can have the effect of isolating us from our neighbours, from those closest to us," Pope Francis explained. "We should not overlook the fact that those who for whatever reason lack access to social media run the risk of being left behind."
That does not mean, however, that the Pope wants you to delete your Facebook and Twitter accounts. He admits that social media has a place in our world.
"While these drawbacks are real, they do not justify rejecting social media; rather, they remind us that communication is ultimately a human rather than technological achievement," Pope Francis said. "What is it, then, that helps us, in the digital environment, to grow in humanity and mutual understanding? We need, for example, to recover a certain sense of deliberateness and calm."