Vatican City, Sep 30, 2008 / 08:22 am
Recognizing that the world is becoming increasingly influenced by new technologies, Pope Benedict XVI is dedicating his upcoming message for the World Day of Social Communications to ways that these channels of communication can help promote a culture of "respect, dialogue and friendship."
Every year the Pope pens a message to journalists and those who contribute to the field of social communications. The message is always published on the Feast of St. Francis de Sales, the patron of journalists, which will fall on January 24 in 2009.
Also in keeping with tradition, the president of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, Archbishop Claudio Maria Celli, announced the theme for the papal message and commented on it yesterday, the Feast of the Archangels Michael, Raphael and Gabriel. The archangel Gabriel is associated with communications because he delivered news of the Incarnation to the Virgin Mary.
Archbishop Claudio Maria Celli informed a press conference that the Pope’s message is titled: "New Technologies, New Relationships. Promoting a Culture of Respect, Dialogue and Friendship."