Pope+Benedict+Encourages+Priests+to+Blog

by Andy Tannouri
//Pope Benedict says priests should embrace new technologies to communicate with their communities.//

In a new statement released by the Vatican, the pope has encouraged priests to embrace new media for communication. He also says young priests should learn such technologies while still in seminary. This announcement comes on the heels of the pope’s increased presence online in recent years.

The pontiff cites several technologies such as:
 * E-mail
 * Images
 * Video
 * Animated features
 * Blogs
 * Web sites

The Vatican has continually attempted to keep up with information technology trends. A recent study by Kaiser Family Foundation reports that kids in the United States in 2009 viewed an average of 10 hours and 45 minutes of media content every day. The pontiff’s statement highlights the Church’s willingness to adapt to remain relevant in an increasingly secular, wired world.

Similar evolution is seen in the advertising industry, as well as other organizations seeking to maintain an audience.