Highlights From World Communications Day 2014

Archbishop Claudio Maria Celli, the President of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, was in Brooklyn for the World Communications Day media conference on May 22. After receiving the St. Francis DeSales Distinguished Communicator Award, he delivered a keynote address on the intersection of social media, technology and faith.

The speech was followed by breakout sessions in which members of the Catholic and mainstream media discussed issues related to social media. Below is a video of his speech, images from the day and excerpts from his speech.

Bishop DiMarzio and two priests holding an awardPriest speaking at a podiumPriest speaking at a podiumPriest speaking at a podium with a screen behind himWomen speaking at a podium with screen behind herFour MenA manA women with a micFather Christopher Heane Tweeting on his phone.Bishop DiMarzio, priest and man walking through doorwayWomen speaking at podiumPriest speaking at podiumBishop DiMarzio speaking at the awards dinner.A priest speaking with manPriest shaking hands with a manBisiop Dimarzio and priest talking with a manPriest speaking into a microphonePriest speaking at a podiumWoman speaking at podiumWoman speaking at podium with screen behind her.Man taking into a microphoneWoman speaking into a microphone to a group of menTwo women and two men speaking on a stageTwo men and a woman speaking on a stagetwo womenman with headphones behind a cameratwo womentwo men speaking to each other4 men controling sound and videowoman on cell phonethree priests posing for a picturetwo women and a man posing for a picturePicture of a priest and 2 menTwo women and three men posing for a picturetwo men and a womantwo priests and two women posing for a picturePicture of 2 womentwo priests and a man posing for a pictureone man and two womenA priest and two womena man and a womanMan speaking into a cameraThree men and a PriestFour men at a tableA man in a banquet hallPriest speaking to a cameraTen Women and Five Men posing for a photo

Excerpts from Archbishop Celli’s remarks (read full transcript):

It’s absolutely necessary that the Church establish a presence in the digital world.

We are always fishing in the aquarium…The majority of fish are outside the aquarium. 

The Church is a community of communities. Its use of social media should reflect that.

The high rate of retweeting of the Pope’s tweets means that the Church is reaching an ever-wider community.

People no longer pay attention–if they ever did–simply because a church leader is speaking.

We don’t want a network of wires, but a network of people. 

Unless we engage digital media, we will wind up talking to ourselves.

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