Using the Media

St. Dominic would have been in the Forefront

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Talk about the media!

Using The Power of the Media

I'm sick of the media.  As I've blogged before on July 30, and September 23, 25, 30, of this year, the media will say anything to sell its product.  My first inclination is to throw my apron off and retreat to the Cape and vegetate.  But on second thought, as attractive as that may be, I feel called to do battle.  I may still head down to the Cape, but not to retreat.  I'm fighting the modern, cultural spin, to what is the Truth.  I'll do my part to expose the misconstruction and throw light on what is true.  

Cardinal Christoph Schonborn

I wrote this last Nov, upon hearing that the Pope was condoning condoms...NOT!  Anyway, I just read Fr. Tim's blog, The Hermeneutic of Continuity, where the media turned the minds of the powers that be.


What am I talking about?


In the past, Vienna had these sacrilegious Masses.  Writing to Cardinal Schonborn had no appreciable affect.  Neither did writing to the Vatican.  Petitions didn't work, either.  It was Gloria TV blasting video clips on the internet that got everyone's attention.  That worked.  As Father Tim said, " If a picture is worth a thousand words, a YouTube (or Gloria TV) is worth a lot more. You could write several thousand words to Bishops and Vatican dicasteries and get nowhere, but a short video clip buzzing around the Catholic blogosphere can be an economic way for the laity to exercise their right under canon law to manifest their concerns to their pastors."fb


uzzinga picture is worth a thousand words, a YouTube (or Gloria TV) video is worth quite a lot more. You could write several thousand words to Bishops and Vatican dicasteries and get nowhere, but a short video clip buzzing round the Catholic blogosphere can be an economic way for the laity to exercise their right under canon law to manifest their concerns to their pastors.

Related articles

• "Western Mass" stopped Deo Gratias (the-hermeneutic-of-continuity.blogspot.com)

The Media on the Media

Fr. Frank Hoffman (Fr. Rocky)

I just listened to Father Rocky give a talk on the media.  He was talking about the influence the media has.  How it can sway people.  Sure, just look at how we mimic Hollywood.  Young people want to look and be like the glamorous celebrities that they think are so cool.  And you don't have to be young to be influenced.  I've heard it said, that if all things are equal, the tallest candidate will win.

Father Rocky is the executive director of Relevant Radio.   He places the utmost importance on radio.  He keeps saying that people listen to the radio all the time, especially when they're stuck in traffic.  I'm not so sure.  I know I don't.  I listen to audio books.  I've seen my kids listen to CDs or plug in their ipods.  Once in awhile, I'll put on the radio for the news or weather.  But I've never seen my kids do that.  In fact, the minute they hear a talking voice, they switch.

Next are billboards.  While people are stuck in traffic, they'll read billboards.  Again, I don't agree.  It's rare that I'm stuck in traffic.  I go out of my way to avoid traffic.  I'll ride the "T" or commuter rail.  I hate traffic and avoid it.  Although, while traveling, I admit I am attracted to billboards.

Guess what the poor people who can't afford to buy radio stations or billboard advertising, can do to evangelize.  We can use Facebook.  Yes, Facebook can evangelize.  I think the value of Facebook besides social connection is to alert people to events.  I've made FB friends with like minded people and enjoy the short discussions we've had.  In fact, at the March for Life, I bumped into my FB friend Michael Liccione, at Central Staion. A train station in Washington DC!!!!   Au Bon Pain!  How coincidental is that?  Never met him before--just saw his pix on FB.

But Father Rocky never mentioned blogs.  :-(

My list of media includes, newsletters, blogs, Facebook, and letters to editors in newspapers.  What else?

The Word Becoming Digital

Saint Dominic would have used You Tube, the internet, facebook, twitter, and have carried a blackberry.  The modern methods of communication are made for preaching.  In this video, Father Robert Barron explains how an atheist navigated his way from a You Tube video on Bob Dylan, to Father Barron, to investigating the Catholic Faith.  They're modern tools to communicate.

Sure, it's not perfect; it's made by man, Silly.  But, still......

Blogging, Again

Boston hosted the Catholic Media Celebration, recently.  Here is a video of the presentation of blogging.