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What is the title?
Freedom and Responsibility

Who wrote it?
The Catholic Church

What are two key quotes from the reading?
"As long as freedom has not bound itself definitively to its ultimate good which is God, there is the possibility of choosing between good and evil, and thus of growing in perfection or of failing and sinning."

"Imputability and responsibility for an action can be diminished or even nullified by ignorance, inadvertence, duress, fear, habit, inordinate attachments, and other psychological or social factors."

What is the overall focus of this section/this article?
That freedom is found within God if we are all bound and work together and that freedom is a responsibility that as human beings we have to maintain.

How might the reading be connected to popular culture?
It is connected to popular culture because as humans we have the freedom to express our spirituality and religions through popular culture however, it is our responsibility to do so without offending or oppressing people.

Examples from popular culture that might connect to the reading:
- Social media
- Art

URL:
https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/__P5N.HTM

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COMPENDIUM OF THE SOCIAL DOCTRINE OF THE CHURCH

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COMPENDIUM OF THE SOCIAL DOCTRINE OF THE CHURCH

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What is the Title:

COMPENDIUM OF THE SOCIAL DOCTRINE OF THE CHURCH (from Social life based on civil friendship)

Who wrote it:

Written by the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace to offer "a complete overview of the fundamental framework of the doctrinal corpus of Catholic social teaching."

The work was created at the request of Pope John Paul II to consolidate and organize Church social doctrine

What is the overall focus of this section?

The need for civil friendship

Civil friendship leads to freedom and equality

What are two key quotes from this reading?

“Civil friendship [792] understood in this way is the most genuine actualization of the principle of fraternity, which is inseparable from that of freedom and equality.”

“The sphere of friendship, on the other hand, is selflessness, detachment from material goods, giving freely and inner acceptance of the needs of others.”

How might this reading be connected to popular culture?

The concept of personal rights and duties (the opposite of civil friendship), leads to individualistic thinking and collectivistic ideologies

This leads to a divided world both in-person and online

Examples from popular culture:

Social media - personal arguments, hustle/boss culture, cancel culture

“Othering,” of others

Biased news

https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/justpeace/documents/rc_pc_justpeace_doc_20060526_compendio-dott-soc_en.html#Social%20life%20based%20on%20civil%20friendship

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What is the title?

Pacem in Terris

Who wrote it?

Pope John XXIII

What is the overall focus of this section / this article?

we are social beings by nature, and they must live together and assess each other’s interests

What are two key quotes from this reading?

"Man's personal dignity requires besides that he enjoy freedom and be able to make up his own mind when he acts”

"Each man should act on his own initiative, conviction, and sense of responsibility, not under the constant pressure of external coercion or enticement"

How might this reading be connected to popular culture?

The connection between this section and popular culture is Everyone has rights and freedom on social media but with this in mind everyone has their duties to uphold

What examples from popular culture might connect to the ideas in this reading?

-        Social media (snapchat, Instagram, tiktok, etc)

URL to your text:

https://www.vatican.va/content/john-xxiii/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_j-xxiii_enc_11041963_pacem.html

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1.     What is the title?
-       Pastoral Letter on Racism 1979
2.     Who wrote it?
-       U.S. Catholic Bishops
3.     What is the overall focus of this section / this article?
-       Racism is an evil in the church and in the world
-       Racism is a sin
-       It is very apparent
4.     What are two key quotes from this reading?
-        Indeed, racism is more than a disregard for the words of Jesus; it is a denial of the truth of the dignity of each human being revealed by the mystery of the Incarnation
-        We should influence the members of our families, especially our children, to be sensitive to the authentic human values and cultural contributions of each racial grouping in our country.
5.     How might this reading be connected to popular culture?
-       The othering of different cultures
-       Stereotypes
6.     What examples from popular culture might connect to the ideas in this reading?
-       The portrayal of cultures in films

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What is the Title?

-        Catholic Social Teachings

Who wrote this?

-        Caritas Australia team

What is the overall focus of this section/this article?

-        To teach and inform people of the 6 Catholic social teachings

What are 2 key quotes from this reading?

“Our work is informed by the principles of Catholic Social Teaching, which guide us in all spheres of life – the economic, political, personal and spiritual”.

“With human dignity at its centre, a holistic approach to development founded on the principles of CST, is what Pope Paul VI called ‘authentic development’. Explore the Catholic Social Teaching principles and how they guide our work”

How might this reading be connected to popular culture?

-        They use popular culture to spread the message and teachings of the Catholic Social Teachings with the rest of the world. It helps modernise the spread of information from one person or group to another.

What examples from popular culture might connect to the ideas in this reading?

-        Having different YouTube videos for each topic of the Catholic Social teachings. Showing animations throughout a website, to demonstrate a clear and easily read example of each teaching.
Movies used examples of the catholic social teachings, social media, memes, youtube etc

URL to your text:

https://www.caritas.org.au/learn/cst-toolkit/
https://www.caritas.org.au/about/what-is-caritas/our-network/ - their mission ❤️

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Who wrote it?

Australian Plenary Council

Section:

Question One: How might we better accompany one another on the journey of personal and communal conversion which mission in Australia requires?

What is the overall focus of this section/this article?

This section focuses on the importance of dialogue for conversion.

What are the two key quotes from this article?

“This exchange through mutual dialogue and listening to the stories of people challenges us; conversion is mutual, it flows both ways”

“This involves listening to the experience of others; especially encounters with those on the peripheries, with who we are not comfortable, and the voices of those who are missing leads us as individuals and communities to a place of conversion”

How might this reading be connected to popular culture?

This reading is connected to popular culture as it shows the importance of listening and sharing experiences which popular culture allows people to do.

What examples from popular culture might connect to the ideas in this reading?

Social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook and Tik Tok.

Document link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1wi8RrPZPBKSHX-b6jjY3gvMdQQ26tcse/view

Australian Plenary Council link: https://plenarycouncil.catholic.org.au/

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III. Responsibility and Participation
Who wrote it?

Peter Canisius

What is the overall focus of this section/article?

It discusses that while participating in social interchange people should refrain from lying and should instead try to improve the conditions of human life.

What are two key quotes from this reading?

“Much care should be taken to promote institutions that improve the conditions of human life.”

“Fraud and other subterfuges….. must be firmly condemned because they are incompatible with the requirements of justice”

How might this reading be connected to popular culture?

While on social media people should withhold from posting false information and therefore should post factual information. People should also try and improve human life by creating a positive environment.

What examples from popular culture might be connected to the ideas in this reading?

Any form of social media.

https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/__P6L.HTM

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III. The Aim and Intended Readership of the Catechism

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https://vatican2voice.org/6unity/restore_unity.htm

What is the title? – ‘Vatican II – Voice Of The Church’ section: ‘Restoring Unity, The Catholic Church’s commitment to ecumenism’.

Who wrote it? – Dennis Rudd
What is the overall focus of this section/this article? – The focus on this section of Vatican II, was bringing forth unity between all the different denominations of the Catholic Church, and the struggles that come with that.

What are two key quotes from this reading? –

·         "The restoration of unity among all Christians is one of the principal concerns of the Second Vatican Council" - make clear beyond all doubt the Catholic Church's commitment to ecumenism, to the quest for Christian unity.

·         Although the reason may be simple, the task is one which is far from easy. And, as Pope John Paul II said, we all have a part to play: All the faithful are asked by the Spirit of God to do everything possible to strengthen the bonds of communion between all Christians and to increase cooperation between Christ's followers: "Concern for restoring unity pertains to the whole Church, faithful and clergy alike.  It extends to everyone according to the potential of each". (UUS §101)

How might this reading be connected to Popular culture? – the goal of unity between religious denominations is reflective of the goal for unity on the internet. The struggles faced in the encyclical is similar to the struggles seen online when reaching for unity.

Examples from popular culture? – as seen in the last assignment, there are strives and debates for religious unity seen online, political, social, cultural, etc. there are lots of different areas where the goal of unity is expressed online

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By Dennis Rudd

"Thus it is absolutely clear that ecumenism, the movement promoting Christian unity, is not just some sort of "appendix" which is added to the Church's traditional activity. Rather, ecumenism is an organic part of her life and work, and consequently must pervade all that she is and does."

Pope John Paul II in Ut Unum Sint, 25 May 1995

The Catholic Church's commitment to ecumenism

The above words of Pope John Paul II, together with the opening words of the Vatican II Decree on Ecumenism, Unitatis Redintegratio - "The restoration of unity among all Christians is one of the principal concerns of the Second Vatican Council" - make clear beyond all doubt the Catholic Church's commitment to ecumenism, to the quest for Christian unity.

In Ut Unum Sint ('That they may be one'), his encyclical letter on commitment to ecumenism, Pope John Paul II noted that the ecumenical movement really began within the Churches and Ecclesial Communities of the Reform, and that at about the same time the Ecumenical Patriarchate expressed the hope that some kind of co-operation among the Christian Communions could be organized. (1)

Pope John XXIII said that the unity of the Church was the "compelling motive" for his calling the Council (2), and when he spoke at the opening of the Council, he made it clear that he regarded the unity of Christians as a major concern of the Catholic Church: "The Catholic Church ... considers it her duty to work actively so that there may be fulfilled the great mystery of that unity which Jesus Christ invoked with fervent prayer from his heavenly Father on the eve of his sacrifice."

The initial decision to invite non-Catholic observers to the Second Vatican Council was made by Pope John himself; it was the first Council to which Christians not in communion with the Catholic Church had been invited. By the end of the Council their numbers had grown to close on one hundred. According to Cardinal Franz König (3), they had a positive influence on the ecumenical climate and their role grew as the Council progressed.

The end of the council was marked by a service in St Peter's on 7 December 1965. Cardinal König recalled: "I was one of a small group on the altar with Pope Paul VI. After asking the representative of the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople to join him there, the Pope announced that the Papal Bull of 1054, which had declared the Great Schism between the Western and Eastern Church, was now null and void. I can still hear the thundering burst of spontaneous applause with which this announcement was received. For me this highlight signalled that the impulses set off by the council were already at work. The crucial process of reception, that all-important part of any church council, which can take several generations, had begun. It continues today."

The basis of the Catholic Church's commitment to ecumenism

The Second Vatican Council quite deliberately rejected the view that the Church of Christ is to be identified solely with the Roman Catholic Church, with its implication that other Christians have no part in Christ's Church. The Council Fathers spoke of the Church of Christ as 'subsisting' in the Roman Catholic Church:

This Church (i.e. the unique Church of Christ), constituted and organized in the world as a society, subsists in the Catholic Church, which is governed by the successor of Peter and by the bishops in union with that successor, although many elements of sanctification and of truth can be found outside of her visible structure. These elements, however, as gifts properly belonging to the Church of Christ, possess an inner dynamism toward Catholic unity. (4)

The implication is that all those elements that Christ willed for his Church are to be found in the Roman Catholic Church, but nevertheless Christ's Church cannot be totally identified with the Catholic Church. The fact that the Catholic Church understands itself to possess all those things which Christ intended his Church to have does not imply, and should not be taken as implying, that other Churches have none of these things. [Nor, it might be added, does it imply that the Catholic Church always uses these gifts to the best effect.]

The Vatican II Decree on Ecumenism recognises that other Churches have many of these elements, and the Catholic Church recognises that the Holy Spirit has used, and continues to use, other Churches as means of salvation. What we all have in common is greater than what separates us.

What kind of relationship, then, does the Catholic Church perceive between itself and other Churches? The Decree on Ecumenism speaks of the 'rents in the seamless garment of Christ'. Rents are tears or splits, they are not necessarily a fragmentation into separate pieces. The divisions between Christians are not seen as having created total breaks, for all baptised Christians are incorporated in Christ through their baptism, and are therefore truly brothers and sisters in Christ. But because there are real differences and disagreements, we have to speak of a communion which is real but partial and incomplete.

For this reason, the restoration of unity has to be understood as the convergence of the Roman Catholic Church with other Christian Churches, as shared gifts are rediscovered - in our own Church and in other Churches - so that the unity willed by Christ for his Church is realised. (5)

The implications of the Catholic Church's understanding of itself and its relationship with other Churches, initially set out in the Constitution on the Church Lumen Gentium, are more fully explored in the Council Decree on Ecumenism Unitatis Redintegratio and most appropriately these two major documents of the Council were promulgated on the same date, 21 November 1964.

Why should the Catholic Church, indeed why should all Christians, be concerned about unity? The reason, of course, is very simple - because it is seen to be the will of Christ. St John's Gospel records Our Lord's words, spoken on the night before his passion: "I ask ... that they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us ... so that the world may believe that you have sent me" (Jn 17:20-21).

Although the reason may be simple, the task is one which is far from easy. And, as Pope John Paul II said, we all have a part to play: All the faithful are asked by the Spirit of God to do everything possible to strengthen the bonds of communion between all Christians and to increase cooperation between Christ's followers: "Concern for restoring unity pertains to the whole Church, faithful and clergy alike. It extends to everyone according to the potential of each". (UUS §101)

It cannot be said too often that the quest for unity does not imply a need, or even a desire, for uniformity. Diversity is a mark of the Holy Spirit, who distributes a variety of gifts; and God, who is Father, Son and Holy Spirit, is the very model of unity in diversity, diversity in unity. Within the Catholic Church itself is to be found diversity in spirituality, in discipline, in liturgical rites. St Augustine spoke of "unity in essentials, freedom in non-essentials, charity in all things." To quote Pope John Paul II again: "Unity not only embraces diversity, but is verified in diversity."

And Cardinal Basil Hume, the late Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster, said, "Christian unity is a gift from God ... It is also a process of growth. I would distrust anybody who tries to indicate to me what the end of that process will be. One step at a time..."

We now have to look at how these steps are being made.

The Quest For Unity

How is Christ's desire for the unity of his followers being sought? And how is it a task for all of us?

Theological dialogue is, of course, essential. An example of this, one of many dialogues which have been undertaken since the Council, is the work of the Anglican-Roman Catholic International Commissions. Here, the stated aim has been "not to evade difficulties, but rather to avoid the controversial language in which they have often been discussed." Pope John Paul II, in Ut Unum Sint, set out the many dialogues and contacts that have been initiated between the Catholic Church, the Churches of the East and the Reformed Churches of the West.

But divisions between Christians are not just questions of doctrine, they have resulted in separation: separation between Christians in the same country, the same town, the same street, the same household. So an essential part of the quest for unity is the coming together of Christians, to overcome the separation, mistrust and misunderstanding that have ensued as a result of the divisions. It is in cities, towns and villages that "this is a task for all of us".

Most importantly, we have to follow Our Lord's example of prayer. Prayer is central to the pursuit of Christian unity, for it is by prayer that we acknowledge that unity is not to be achieved solely by our own actions, but is a gift of God through the working of the Holy Spirit.

These three elements - prayer, theological dialogue and local ecumenism - complement each other, and all three elements are essential in the quest for unity.

If you live somewhere - it may be somewhere as large as a country or as small as a village - where there is little or no opportunity for exchange with Christians of other churches, then it can be easy to neglect the quest for unity and to regard it as not relevant to your situation. Yet you still have the opportunity for prayer, an opportunity that is not to be passed by. "Prayer for unity is not a matter reserved only to those who actually experience the lack of unity among Christians. In the deep personal dialogue which each of us must carry on with the Lord in prayer, concern for unity cannot be absent." (UUS §27)

The Abbé Couturier, whose name is closely associated with the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity said, "we should pray for the unity Christ wants, and pray for it to come in the way he wants."

Where Christians from more than one church reside in a society, there can be occasions for coming together and growing together in many ways; but are those occasions always being grasped? The so-called Lund Principle, enunciated as long ago as 1952, set out the aim that churches should act together in all matters except those in which deep differences of conviction compel them to act separately.

In what ways can churches and individual Christians not in full communion act together?

First and foremost, by praying together: in Ut Unum Sint, Pope John Paul had much to say on prayer together. "When brothers and sisters who are not in perfect communion with one another come together to pray... their prayer [is] the soul of the whole ecumenical movement" (UUS §21). "If Christians, despite their divisions, can grow evermore united in common prayer around Christ, they will grow in the awareness of how little divides them in comparison to what unites them." (UUS §22)

As well as prayer for unity, shared prayer is an opportunity for putting before God the needs and problems we all have in common - for example peace, social concerns. Such sharing is in itself an effective way of promoting reconciliation between Christians.

By studying together; in parts of the Christian world there is now an established tradition of sharing and growing together through Lenten and other study groups and courses. Such study, too, can help us to realise that what divides us is much less than all that we have in common.

It is of course important that such study should be undertaken in an eirenic spirit, for the Holy Spirit will want to be busy on these occasions. So when you are a member of such a gathering and your neighbour is speaking, it is important to listen carefully with generosity and humility, especially if he/she is expressing something which is new to your own understanding - because the Holy Spirit may be speaking through him/her. Equally, it is important to listen carefully to what you yourself say, to make sure you express your own understanding with generosity and humility - because the Holy Spirit may be wanting to speak through you.

By working together: this may be through collaboration in attending to the many needs of the communities in which we live. The unity experienced in co-operation on issues of this nature can be a foretaste of the ultimate unity Christians desire. "In the eyes of the world, co-operation among Christians becomes a form of common Christian witness and a means of evangelization which benefits all involved." (UUS §40)

It is recognised that all Christians have an essential unity which derives from their common baptism. St Paul gave us guidance (1 Cor 12) when he said that although the parts are many the body is one - "the eye cannot say to the hand, 'I do not need you', nor can the head say to the feet, 'I do not need you'." We have to echo this - we cannot say to other churches 'we have no need of you'.

It is a sobering thought that on every occasion we do things by ourselves when there is not a compelling need to, we are, despite St Paul, saying to other Christians, 'we have no need of you'.

Some of these activities may not be practicable for us at the moment because of our situation or because the relationship between churches in our part of the world has not yet progressed to the point where they have become possible. In this situation we may even have to be prepared to step forward, to be in the vanguard.

Progress and problems

It is possible to look back and be amazed at the ecumenical progress that has been made at all levels through the action of the Holy Spirit over recent decades. It is equally possible to look forward and perhaps feel daunted by the difficulties that still lie ahead.

In Ut Unum Sint, Pope John Paul II noted that, thus far on our journey, much has been attained - greater mutual understanding, doctrinal convergences, growth in communion - but our aim has to be full visible unity among all the baptised. (UUS §77)

In the introduction to The Unity of Christians by Cardinal Augustin Bea we read, "... the work of re-uniting Christians is the work of God and it will be accomplished by the grace of God, no matter how difficult it may seem from a human standpoint." (6) So it is important not to become in any way discouraged when difficulties or seeming setbacks occur, when hoped-for expectations are not realised. The unity of Christians will come in God's time. Our task is, as in all things, to be faithful.

May I end on a personal note? Some years ago I was invited to carry out a study, in a small locality, of the attitudes of people, both lay and ordained, to churches other than their own. I called the resulting report "The Great Day" because one member of an independent evangelical church said to me in the course of this work, "I would see it as a great day when we all worship together."

Of the many comments I received, two in particular have always remained in my mind:

"I am never antagonistic towards other churches, but what is the point of doing things with them?"

"How can a divided Church heal a divided world? How can it heal wounds, break down barriers, play its role in bringing the Kingdom."

The first attitude is perhaps not untypical of many Christians - acceptance of the situation as it exists because "that's the way things are". The second remark, made to me by a minister of the United Reformed Church in my country, looks beyond the past and the present to be aware of Christ's prayer on the night before his passion and death, "that they may all be one, even as you and I are one; that the world may believe it was you who sent me".

Dennis Rudd

(1) Ut Unum Sint §65

(2) Ad Petri Cathedram §42-44, 1959

(3) Cardinal Franz König, 'It must be the Holy Spirit', The Tablet (London), 21-28 December 2002

(4) Dogmatic Constitution on the Church [Lumen Gentium] §8

(5) Emmanuel Sullivan SA & the present writer, 'Working for Unity', Diocese of Arundel and Brighton, 1993

(6) Geoffrey Chapman Ltd, London, May 1963

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By Dennis Rudd "Thus it is absolutely clear that ecumenism, the movement promoting Christian unity, is not just some sort of "appendix" which is added to the Church's traditional activity. Rather, ecumenism is an organic part of her life and work, and consequently must pervade all that she is and does."

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What is the title?

‘unblock it’
Who wrote it?

It was written by the catholic Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn
What is the overall focus of this section / this article?

The article talks about how Catholics tend to push away from their faith when it becomes challenging, and ‘block’ their faith out of their lives. It talks about how people need to unblock their faith.
What are two key quotes from this reading?

“So where does this leave us? St Paul said, “I can do all things through Christ.” If you want Jesus to use you to change the world, you must first start with allowing Him to change your world.”

“Today, challenge yourself to look at what’s stopping you, unclick the ‘block’ button on your belief and take a new step on the path to holiness.”

How might this reading be connected to popular culture?

challenges us to be better in every aspect of our lives including on social media, online and in the habits we make

What examples from popular culture might connect to the ideas in this reading?
bullying on social media, “not being a jerk” (Tuckerman, 2022)
URL to your text:

https://cgcatholic.org.au

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The Catholic Archdiocese of Canberra & Goulburn

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24 May 2018

Do you know the 'block' button? That opportunity social media gives you, at your fingertips, to erase someone from your life? Yeah, that one. Have you ever used it? Have you ever wondered what would happen if you had one in real life?

What if that person you had 'blocked' was Christ? The risen Christ dwells amidst us. In the Church, we find His body, where He constantly is speaking to us. Some of what he says fills us with hope, joy, love. You scroll through that every day, 'liking' as you go. Other things, like today's Gospel, are challenging. You might think it's too much to handle. You hover over the block button. You click it.

The daily walk with Christ will challenge you to great faith. It demands you to reject a consumer Christianity where you only seek those things that you like; and, to seek to be challenged and become an imitation of Christ. Being challenged can hurt, it might even feel like you're cutting off parts of who you are; your hands, your feet, your eyes as in today's Gospel.

In this radical imagery, Jesus is challenging you to break out of your belief system. To allow his revelation to go far beyond your reasoning. Do you think your hand is important? Yes. But do you think that Jesus measures you by your hand, or your feet, or your eyes? No. He measures you on your faith, on your belief, on your desire for holiness. Don't allow your belief to be limited. Don't click the 'block' button on the extraordinary faith Christ is calling you to.

So where does this leave us? St Paul said, "I can do all things through Christ." If you want Jesus to use you to change the world, you must first start with allowing Him to change your world. Today, challenge yourself to look at what's stopping you, unclick the 'block' button on your belief and take a new step on the path to holiness.
>> Readings

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Unblock it - The Catholic Archdiocese of Canberra & Goulburn

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Do you know the 'block' button? That opportunity social media gives you, at your fingertips, to erase someone from your life? Yeah, that one. Have you ever used it? Have you ever wondered what would happen if you had one in real life? What if that person you had 'blocked' was Christ?

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Fratelli Tutti was written by Pope Francis in 2020, covering the topic of "fraternity and social friendship".

The overall focus of the passage is that in order for society to survive in the future, we must be respectful of the human dignity in the way we interact with one another.

“When the culture itself is corrupt, and objective truth and universally valid principles are no longer upheld, then laws can only be seen as arbitrary impositions or obstacles to be avoided”

"We need to learn how to unmask the various ways that the truth is manipulated, distorted and concealed in public and private discourse."

This is particularly important in the way we interact with one another via media, as we must ensure we remember to respect and consider the person behind the screen. Furthermore, we must remember to always seek truth in the media we consume, being wary of false conceptions/bias.

This is particularly evident in pop culture with 'cancel culture', where figures online may have their reputation destroyed by accusations that aren't necessarily true. In the process, participants online are undermining the dignity of the people that they don’t agree with or are refusing to acknowledge the dignity of the people they are dehumanizing, going against Pope Francis' message.

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Fratelli tutti (3 October 2020) | Francis

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Encyclical Fratelli tutti (All Brothers) of the Holy Father Francis, 3 October 2020

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Using Social Media to Connect and to Care

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Using Social Media to Connect and to Care

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Written by the Catholic Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn

The overall focus of this article is that social media neglects the face-to-face connection that is essential in human nature

Key quote: “It’s part of our human condition to want to feel others are listening to us, and sometimes this means being truly present in the flesh rather than ‘online’”

Key quote: “As with everything, moderation and self-control is the key”

This reading is connected to popular culture because in the modern day, the majority of the population are on social media. It is obvious that social media dishes out a plethora of monologue with little to no dialogue.

Examples that connect to the ideas in this reading are when videos or messages are posted on social media platforms and users cannot comment on the content. In this case, a specific message is shown to users with no other opinion.

URL: https://cgcatholic.org.au/my-family-my-faith/blog/using-social-media-connect-care/

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The Catholic Archdiocese of Canberra & Goulburn

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It recent years it seems that our annual celebration of Easter accompanies some societal calamity.
There has been bushfires, then the covid pandemic, and now the Russian-Ukraine conflict.

Click here to find out more.

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Home - The Catholic Archdiocese of Canberra & Goulburn

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It recent years it seems that our annual celebration of Easter accompanies some societal calamity. There has been bushfires, then the covid pandemic, and now the Russian-Ukraine conflict. Click here to find out more.

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THE CATHOLIC ARCHDIOCESE OF CANBERRA AND GOULBURN 

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THE CATHOLIC ARCHDIOCESE OF CANBERRA AND GOULBURN 

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- The document discusses how social media can be used to share and connect to people providing others care. It states that social media can be used for good and for the better to strengthen relations with each other and have a stronger sense of community/communion.

- The document also says that people do not understand how lucky we are to have instant access to other people and that our new generation will never understand.

- It also says there is a downside and that people alienate and isolate them selves from others due to social media and being addicted to there technology. As shown in the image people at dinner attached to their phone and not living within the moment.

- It was written by the archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn.

"The downside can, of course, be the misuse of this technology.  But this is not a new concept.  I grew up with TV addicts"

" Nowadays there are many great apps and websites he could use to spread His message and draw us closer to Him."

- This is related to popular culture as the way that the churches views the media could in return reflect how the media views the church for example if the church does not like 'Instagram' they could lean towards anti-church ideals as they opposes ideals and morality.

https://cgcatholic.org.au/my-family-my-faith/blog/using-social-media-connect-care/

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The Catholic Archdiocese of Canberra & Goulburn

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Apparently it is the custom in some dinner circles to place your mobile phones in the middle of the table and whoever can't resist reaching for theirs first pays the bill.

I suggested this to my elder children but they pointed out that a) they were broke, and b) Dad was worse than they were anyway and he was already picking up the tab!

I have to admit that I, too, love my phone. Some 25 or so years ago, I remember standing outside an electronics store and in the window was the latest in "portable" entertainment - a device larger than a regular video player which had a TV, cassette player, radio and alarm clock all in one!

My children (and most adults) take for granted that we have access to all of this in truly portable form. The mind of my 14 year old self would have boggled. Imagine a portable phone (instead of one attached to the wall) to keep in touch with friends instead of being continually told to get off Mum and Dad's. Watching a movie whenever you want and without ads! And taking photos which can be viewed instantly and sent across the world!

The downside can, of course, be the misuse of this technology. But this is not a new concept. I grew up with TV addicts where now they'll watch YouTube. People were bullied by letter and phone whereas Twitter and Facebook provide more choices. This doesn't mean that TV, letters, phones or social media are evils to avoid, just that we need to be conscious of the pitfalls.

It has occurred to me when thinking of the Sermon on the Mount story that Jesus must have had a powerful voice to reach so many people. Nowadays there are many great apps and websites he could use to spread His message and draw us closer to Him.

As with everything, moderation and self-control is the key. Does it really matter if we miss a Facebook message? It's part of our human condition to want to feel others are listening to us, and sometimes this means being truly present in the flesh rather than "online".

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Using social media to connect and to care - The Catholic Archdiocese of Canberra & Goulburn

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Apparently it is the custom in some dinner circles to place your mobile phones in the middle of the table and whoever can't resist reaching for theirs first pays the bill. I suggested this to my elder children but they pointed out that a) they were broke, and b) Dad was worse than they were anyway and he was already picking up the tab!

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