1. Diocese of Harrisburg
17 September 2012
Rev. Joshua R. Brommer, STL

2. The Year of Faith
• Reading once again the teachings of the Second
Vatican Council – www.vatican.va (they’re free!)
• Inter Mirifica, the Decree on the means of Social
Communication: 4 December 1963
• “Man’s genius has with God’s help produced marvelous
technical inventions from creation, especially in our
times. The Church, our mother, is particularly interested
in those which directly touch upon man’s spirit and
which have opened up new avenues of easy
communication of all kinds of news, of ideas and
orientations.” (IM 1)
• Taking up the mission of Evangelization

3. What do we mean by “Media”?
The meaning of the word The expression of the meaning
• “Media” is the plural form of • In 1963, what did this mean?
the Latin word • Press
“medium”, which has relatively • Cinema
the same meaning in English. • Radio
• Other ways of translating the • Television
word “medium” can be
• In 2012, this takes on a whole new
“instrument”, “means”. meaning
• “for the public,” “before the • Press, Cinema, Radio, Television
public,” “for the public good,” • Facebook
“for the care of the public • Twitter
good,” “for the good of all”
• Etc.

4. What is the “Power” of Social
Communication?
“[The media] contribute
greatly to the “…man can use them in
enlargement of men’s ways that are contrary to
the Creator’s design and
minds and to the damaging to himself. …
propagation and [The Church] grieves with
consolidation of the a mother’s sorrow at the
kingdom of God.” (IM 2) harm all too often inflicted
on society by their
misuse.” (IM 2)

5. The obligation to use Social Media
“All authority in heaven and “The Catholic Church was founded by
Christ our Lord to bring salvation to
on earth has been given to all men. It feels, obliged, therefore, to
me. Go, therefore, and make preach the gospel. In the same way, it
disciples of all believes that its task involves
employing the means of social
nations, baptizing them in communication to announce the
the name of the Father and good news of salvation and to teach
of the Son and of the Holy men how to use them properly.
Spirit, teaching them to It is the Church’s birthright to use and
observe all that I have own any of these media which are
necessary and useful for the
commanded you; and formulation of Christians and for
behold, I am with you pastoral activity.”
always, to the close of the - IM, 3
age.” – Matthew 28:18-20

6. Principles for the Laity & Social Media
• “… it is principally for laymen to animate these media with a
Christian and human spirit and to ensure that they live up to
humanity’s hopes for them, in accordance with God’s design.” (IM
3)
• “Laymen who work professionally in these media should endeavor
to bear witness to Christ: first of all, by doing their work
competently and in an apostolic spirit, secondly by collaborating
directly, each one according to his ability, in the pastoral activity of
the Church, making a technical, economic, cultural, or artistic
contribution.” (IM 14)
• “Lay people must be given the necessary technical, doctrinal and
moral formation.” (IM 15)
• “If the media are to be correctly employed, it is essential that all
who use them know the principles of the moral order and apply
them faithfully in this domain.” (IM 3)

7. Principles for the Laity & Social Media
• Information, news, facts, happenings should be “communicated
publically and without delay” to give people sufficient information
so as to contribute to the common good and progress of society.
(IM 4)
• The ‘right to information’: communication should be “true and
complete” within the limits of justice and charity
• All art and media are subjected to “the absolute primacy of the
objective moral order.” (IM 6)
• Limits placed on the “description and representation of moral evil”
need to be in place. (IM 7)
• The responsibility to safeguard against poor influence on public
opinion and the formation of society. (IM 8)
• Responsibility toward the young – both by producers of media and
those who teach the young how to use media. (throughout IM)

8. Forming the Young to responsibly use
media both as Producers & Consumers
• Formation of a “correct conscience on the use of the media” (IM 5)
• Social Communication must be used with a “properly motivated
selectivity” looking specially toward “whatever excels in virtue, culture
and art” (IM 9)
• “Those who are at the receiving end of the media, and especially the
young, should learn moderation and discipline in their use of them. They
should aim to understand fully what they see, hear and read. They should
discuss them with their teachers and with experts in such matters and
should learn to reach correct judgments. Parents on their part should
remember that it is their duty to see that entertainments and publications
which might endanger faith and morals do not enter their houses and
that their children are not exposed to them elsewhere.” (IM 10)
• Civil authorities: “Special measures should be taken to protect
adolescents from publications and entertainments harmful to them.” (IM
12)

9. Using Social Communications for the
Faith in our schools
• “All the members of the Church should make a concerted effort to ensure
that the means of communications are put at the service of the multiple
forms of the apostolate without delay and as energetically as
possible, where and when they are needed.” (IM 13)
• “[Members of the Church] need the instruction and practical experience if
they are to use the media properly. Projects designed to effect
this, especially among the young, should be encouraged and multiplied in
Catholic schools at all levels … and should be directed in accordance with
the principles of Christian morality.” (IM 16)

10. What do these “projects” look like?
@elizabethf tweeted: ”#yearoffaith Faith
makes me have confidence in myself and
THIS IS my friends.”
@nathanc tweeted: ”#yearoffaith Faith
makes me think of God and gets me
YOUR through hard times.”
@ryleeh tweeted: ”#yearoffaith Faith
means to let Jesus catch you and make you
calm.”
WORK! @omarih tweeted: ”#yearoffaith Faith to
me is to learn about God and share the
Good News.”