The author (R) with others at the Vatican Bloggers' Conference

by Wagner Moura
from his blog via Fr. João Carlos Almeida (known in Brazil as Padre Joãozinho)
A sacred work is completed daily by the Spokesman for the Vatican Fr. Frederico Lombardi, later, after the celebration of the Holy Mass at 7:30 am, with the help of a blogger (author content published in a blog) friend of his, Father Lombardi updates himself on the issues treated in the blogosphere, joined with different blogs that the priest recognizes, they are very important for society and for the Church.

The revelation was announced by the spokesman for the Vatican on the afternoon of May 2nd around 150 bloggers of 17 different languages, invited by the Holy See for an encounter: Vatican Blog Meeting. The event unedited promoted through the Pontifical Council for Culture and for Social Communications happened with the participation of four Brazilian bloggers and was an opportunity of dialogue among the hierarchy of the Church and the leaders of the digital continent. It would serve as an example to all the particular Churches to recognize the contribution of bloggers for developing the public opinion of the faithful in the Church, something already treated in the conciliar document on Social Communications, Inter Mirifa (n. 8 and 14)

This conscience is defended by the invitation from Brazil for participation of the 7th Brazilian Joint Effort of Communication, in July, Archbishop Claudio Maria Celli, president of the Pontifical Council par Social Communications. After the Vatican Blog Meeting, he demonstrated the institutional effort for the spokespeople of the digital culture affirming to L’Osservatore Romano, the journal of the Holy See, that the blogs are spaces of authenticity and at the same time of provocation; they help us to grow. They are new possibilities of human relations, rich dynamics and lively. The announcement of the Word, mouth to mouth, heart to heart, this is natural to our faith and a new form of doing this is through the blogs.

During the meeting, in the Vatican, the participants were invited to reflect on the missionary meaning of the blogs and called to be in service of humanity freedom to construct community and not to be in service of themselves. In relation to the dialog with the Church, the bloggers were reminded that she is not an enemy of them, but a source of information that tells them to clarify the discourse in public opinion, seeking the truth in order to avoid confusion, thus ensuring freedom.

Thus was spoken of the challenge of a “pastoral 2.0” that raised the necessity of formation of “web-agents-pastors” and “web-pastors” able to dialog with the digital culture to comprehend that the pastoral activity in the world-wide web of computers is comparable to construction of a local community. Stimulating once more, the ecclesial authorities to engage them in the blogging community, showing thus the desire to evangelize the man immersed in this culture.

For many bloggers that participated in the Vatican Blog Meeting the moment was considered an homage to Pope John Paul II beatified one day before the event and considered as the Pope of Communications. It was he who opened the Church to dialog with the internet, demonstrating to understand well the need of cultural mediation before the technological advances of the media of communication of our time.

In this context of recognition, some bloggers began through the internet a seeking that their patron to become the Beatified Pope John Paul II the patron of communicators in general. Until this may be possible the bloggers meeting in the Vatican hoped to foment a preference to dialogue with the Episcopal Conference meeting local and national of bloggers in order that the [Vatican]  meeting may multiply itself and generate many good fruits.

*Wagner Moura is author of the pro-life blog www.diasimdiatambem.wordpress.com [Portuguese] and accounts, with the support of the Archdiocese of Campinas, on participating in the first bloggers meeting promoted by the Holy See the 2nd of May. He was  invited by the Vatican.

translated from Portuguese