(ANS – Rome) – On Saturday 29 September, the feast of the Archangels Michael, Gabriel and Raphael, the theme chosen by Benedict XVI for the 47th World Day of Social Communications which will be celebrated on May 12, 2013 was announced: "Social Networks: doors of truth and of faith: new spaces for evangelisation". A theme that will be certainly clarified by the upcoming General Synod of Bishops on "the new evangelization for the transmission of the Christian faith".

The digital environment, as stated in the Vatican Bulletin, is one of the most significant challenges of evangelization today; can the technology, which "tends to become the connective tissue of many human experiences such as relationships and knowledge",  help us to encounter Christ in faith? The Pontiff  then made another reference again to social networks, "which allowed the accentuation of a style of dialogue and communication and interactive report".

Waiting for the message text to appear - as usual on 24th  January, the Feast of Saint Francis de Sales, patron of journalists - Fr Filiberto Gonzalez, Communications Advisor (CS) invites the provincial delegates and those engaged in communications, to make the most of the dates of January 12th  and 24th  May and, above all, to engage in the promotion of raising awareness and introducing  training initiatives for young people  called by Benedict XVI to be evangelizers of their peers, and also to the Salesians.

"We cannot think of a Youth Ministry and evangelization that do not take into account our presence as educators in social networks. Fr Gonzalez points out the Pope's latest message for World Day of Social Communications  as offering us the necessary attitudes which makes us 'signs and bearers of God's love to the young ', as we are asked by our Constitutions. The theme chosen for the 47th  World Day of Social Communications  and the subsequent message become opportunities for study, reflection and shared action ".

This year, like last year, the Social Communications  Department together with the assistance of that of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, the Faculty of communication sciences of the UPS in Rome and the neighbouring  houses of formation, will promote a weekend for the Salesians and the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians in initial formation.

Published 01/10/2012