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Evangelising Through The Media; effectiveness of internet and TV
Topic Started: Friday, 19. October 2007, 16:42 (725 Views)
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London, May 6, 2008 / 10:00 pm (CNA).- Press Release:

A new Catholic website http://www.soulfoodcinema.com/ launches today with the aim of educating and evangelizing through the medium of the movies.

Soulfoodcinema differs from other faith and film websites, in that the focus is on providing education and insights for those that are curious after having watched a film, rather than providing extensive ratings and reviews for those that are curious before watching a film.

Managing Editor Mark Banks is keen to remind people that the worldwide film industry now produces hundreds of films each year that can primarily be described as ‘character studies’, and says that these films, whether we are aware of it or not, are all communicating a message to us, either implicitly or explicitly, on how to lead our lives. In such a world Mark believes it important that Catholics filled with the Holy Spirit and a love for Jesus Christ, use their wisdom, knowledge and discernment to understand these messages and to communicate them to as wide an audience as possible; especially amongst young people. For this reason Soulfoodcinema enables readers to contribute essays on one of over 700 films already viewed by the Managing Editor, which can then be published on the internet.

Soulfoodcinema also features weekly updates of links to news stories in the field of faith and film, as well as a community chat room dedicated to discussing all aspects of the movies from a Catholic-Christian point of view.

Through his letter to the Romans Saint Paul reminds us "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - His good, pleasing and perfect will" (12:2). Mark asks that Catholics pray Soulfoodcinema will assist the Church in doing just that.
CNA
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Rose of York
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KatyA,May 7 2008
09:37 AM
http://www.soulfoodcinema.com/ launches today with the aim of educating and evangelizing through the medium of the movies.

Soulfoodcinema differs from other faith and film websites, in that the focus is on providing education and insights for those that are curious after having watched a film, rather than providing extensive ratings and reviews for those that are curious before watching a film.

Managing Editor Mark Banks is keen to remind people that the worldwide film industry now produces hundreds of films each year that can primarily be described as ‘character studies’, and says that these films, whether we are aware of it or not, are all communicating a message to us, either implicitly or explicitly, on how to lead our lives. In such a world Mark believes it important that Catholics filled with the Holy Spirit and a love for Jesus Christ, use their wisdom, knowledge and discernment to understand these messages and to communicate them to as wide an audience as possible; especially amongst young people. For this reason Soulfoodcinema enables readers to contribute essays on one of over 700 films already viewed by the Managing Editor, which can then be published on the internet.
CNA

I do wish our bishops would promote the sites that do a good turn for Christianity. Three women, on separate occasions, have thrown up their hands in horror at learning that I enjoy using the internet. They say "the internet is dangerous". One snorted, and said "Do as you please, I cannot tell you what to do. The internet is the tool of the devil." Off she stomped, straightening her green cardigan, giving me no chance to tell her, two Popes have encouraged us to use the internet, and if it was solely a tool of the devil, the Vatican would not have a website. My concern is, that the three women are "influential in their parishes", looked upon as "knowing everything."

Another thought - the film industry does the Catholic Church a dis-service with its portrayal of our priests. They are never Cockneys, Midlanders, Yorkshiremen or Lancastrians. None of them are called Smith or Brown. Their names (almost invariably) being with O' and they speak with Irish brogues.

The sooner our bishops promote sites that evangelise for Christ the better.

Keep the Faith!

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Derekap
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Rose. You are forgetting Fathers Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra and the other one who was a missionary in China. They were all Americans. Perhaps they were before your time.
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if anyone has wondered what good these "evangelising websites" do, that a look at Insidecatholic.com
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This is a subject with which I have some personal experience. Up until about three years ago, I was one of those lost souls. I was a lifelong atheist -- a militant atheist. Eventually I developed a mild curiosity as to whether there might be something more to life than meets the eye, so I began searching for God -- literally. Not knowing where else to turn, I began typing search terms into Google. I even started a blog. It started out as a simple thought experiment, a half-hearted search for answers to some philosophical questions. I could never have imagined where it would end: My husband and I both entered the Catholic Church just two years later, and have been practising Catholics ever since.

KatyA
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Derekap
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The nearby Community Church advertises in the local (weekly) newspapers (one free and one on sale) and two periodic little booklets for the district which are mainly an excuse for advertisements. You are welcomed and tea and refreshments BEFORE the Sunday service are free to newcomers. Obviously where suitable the latter would be after not before Holy Mass.

Derekap
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PJD

That was a wonderful story KatyA.

Question for you is; why should you have both been so favoured.

PJD
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PJD
Wednesday, 25. June 2008, 19:51
That was a wonderful story KatyA.

Question for you is; why should you have both been so favoured.

PJD
It was a quote from the site Inside catholic. Why that particular couple should have been so favoured,I do not know; unless it's something to do with "seek and ye shall find" They were looking for answers and apparently found them on the internet.
It's nice to know that these things happen, and, who knows, perhaps this forum could be helping someone. :yahoo:

KatyA
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There is more about the Catholicscomehome.orgsite today on Zenit
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More than 6,000 people inquired and came back to the Church via the Catholicscomehome.org Web site, and many more came back to Catholicism by reporting directly to a parish near their home. One priest reported that 16 people came to him for confession after they saw the television ad.

“One of the biggest surprises for us was the amount of inquiries from those who are not Catholic," said Peterson. "About one quarter of those expressing an interest in the Catholic Church are from those who have seen our commercials or visited our Web site and want to better understand the Catholic Church, or have actually made the decision to become Catholic.”

Zenit article

It seems the ad campaign has been very effective. (and we can't even take out a newspaper ad giving times of services?)

KatyA
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A TV ad sponsored by Catholics Come Home in USA. Would it work here?
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Derekap
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I tried and got the message

"Sorry, this video is no longer available"
Derekap
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Sorry Derek, I should have checked that I posted correctly. The video can be seen HERE but I can't figure out how to embed it from that source.

I found another U Tube link that works and edited the original post
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Derekap
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I don't think it would. It is too long and though it may suit the taste of people in the USA I think it would heve to be Britonised for these islands.

I am not disputing the claims or the truth of the claims.
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Rose of York
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http://www.indcatholicnews.com/inter546.html

Independent Catholic News
 
VATICAN CITY - 19 December 2008

Pope advises Catholics to get on the Internet


Pope Benedict yesterday urged media workers to unite in their efforts to proclaim the Gospel to modern internet users.

"Today the internet calls for a growing integration of written, audio and visual communications and therefore challenges the media at the service of the Holy See to enlarge and intensify their collaboration," the Pope told workers at the Vatican Television Centre.

The meeting marked the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the centre, which is responsible for filming papal events, making documentaries and providing them to television outlets around the world.

Pope Benedict said the Church "cannot allow its message to be outside the spaces in which numerous young people navigate in search of answers and of meaning for their lives, you must seek ways to spread voices and images of hope in new formats."

Although the Vatican Television Centre has a small staff and limited resources, Pope Benedict said: "Many people, thanks to your work, can feel closer to the heart of the Church."

For centuries pilgrims having been coming to Rome each year to see the Pope, he said, and "today this desire can be satisfied, at least in part, thanks to radio and television."

Fr Federico Lombardi SJ, who directs the television centre, the Vatican press office and Vatican Radio, said almost every television image of the Pope seen around the world was filmed by the Vatican Television Centre.

"Even if they are watching RAI (in Italy), Bayerische Rundfunk (in Germany) or CNN, we are the origin in almost every case," Fr Lombardi said.

Fr Lombardi thanked Pope Benedict for allowing the Vatican camera operators to shadow his every public move, but he said that being there with the camera rolling "is our job. It is our obligation. We do it with passion and joy."

Source: VIS


How tragic it is, that our so few Catholics, laity and priests, neglect to use the internet for evangelisation! On here, we do our best. Quite a few Catholics have thrown up their hands in horror, when I say I use the internet a lot. They cry out "The internet is dangerous" and one woman said "The internet is the devil's tool."

It would be helpful if the website of the Catholic Church in England and Wales were to give an accreditation symbol to evangelising websites, and to sites that exist purely for social contact amongst Catholics.
Keep the Faith!

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Gerard

Has the Catholic Church in the UK produced any:

Radio?
TV?

and if not, - dont hold your breath for internet productions.

Gerry
Edited by Gerard, Friday, 19. December 2008, 11:37.
"The institutional and charismatic aspects are quasi coessential to the Church's constitution" (Pope John Paul II, 1998).
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Rose of York
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Gerry I despair of our hierarchy making use of any methods of reaching out, just letting people know we exist. Our bishop has an email address. When I phoned his secretary to ask when I could expect a reply to my email the reply was "he never sends emails, he doesn't like them." Use the internet to evangelise? Fat chance. It is down to individuals, like you, me, our members and bloggers. We must stick at it.


Keep the Faith!

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