A Catholic youth movement with the support of the Bishops' Conference, has organized a meeting to improve the use of new technologies ahead of the Pope’s visit to the country. The invitation to use social as "an instrument of mission and a means to encounter others”. The digital world is full of "wounded" people in search of "salvation and hope."

Manila (AsiaNews / CBCP) - Preparing young people on a spiritual level for their "meeting" with Pope Francis during his apostolic journey to the Philippines in 2015, through social media. This is the aim of the Catholic Summit on social media Version 3.0, scheduled for September 13 and 14 in Lingayen (Pangasinan province, Luzon island).  The summit organized by CSMS v3.0 is open to everyone and has received the blessing of the president of the Bishops' Conference and archbishop of the diocese of Lingayen-Dagupan, Msgr. Socrates B. Villegas. Emphasizing the vital role of the social media as a "meeting place", the prelate reminded the faithful that at the same time it is a privileged to foster an "encounter with God, because He is among us".

The event was organized by members of YouthPinoy (YP), a youth movement passionate about online mission; the group intends to respond in person to Pope Francis' call for a "genuine encounter" in view of his apostolic journey to the Philippines from January 15 to 19, 2015.

The president of the Filipino bishops asks participants to reflect on "how Jesus Christ could use today's social media, what would he do, what would he say?". According to Villegas, what Jesus would do with the social media is what the faithful should try doing as well.

He notes that social media has become the "new plaza" which allows people to meet others, to exchange opinions, to listen and be listened to. "Let us allow the social media to become an instrument to promote peace, to promote harmony, to make friends with everybody in our global village". Inspired by the apostolic exhortation "Evangelii Gaudium," he summons all Christians to "renew their personal encounter with Jesus Christ".

Msgr. Hubert C. Vergara, bishop of Pasig and president of the Episcopal Commission for Social Communications and the media, adds that a culture of encounter "ears that can hear" and "hearts eager to understand" "different culture and traditions". For the prelate, "the digital highway" is full of people who are "wounded" men and women "in search of salvation or hope." Even in the social network, he concludes, there are witnesses to Christ who "love and ask to be loved."

 

• Philippines
• catholic
• bishops
• youth
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• pope
• francis
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• social
• media