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Faith Formation: Slow to Embrace & Trust the New Media

Posted on March 8, 2013 by Father Joe

Sharing a few personal thoughts…

The late Cardinal Hickey was acutely aware of the problems with accountability in regard to the new media. However, this also led to our slow acceptance of the internet as a forum for communication. Every word placed online supposedly passed through his office first. Indeed, it was during his tenure that Fr. John Brady’s Ministr-o-Media audio tape ministry was shut down. The archdiocesan effort was housed at the Pastoral Center and had gained a national reputation for wonderful programs about the faith, spirituality and American Catholic Church history. If the masters still exist, these are gems that might be placed online as mp3 files. The aging priest is still with us and I am sure he would be delighted to resurrect these resources.

The move to greater utilization of the internet is way overdue, but it also brings with it inherent problems of accountability. We would want to insure that anything presented has the stamp of approval of the Church. While the Church gives approbation to books, she has not caught up with how to do the same for rapid internet communications. On the other side of the equation, how can we insure that those taking online classes are indeed the ones seeking certification? Various programs for credit, as with Dayton or Catholic Distance Learning employ proxy-testing to insure that the desired learning is acquired by the designated persons.

Filed under: Archdiocese, Faith |

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2 Responses

  1. Phil Bracy's avatar
    Phil Bracy, on April 4, 2013 at 4:09 pm said:

    Father Joe
    just to let you know, for some reason my comment is back and so is your response. These computers are wonderful things but sometimes
    enough to make one a little upset. I will hope you can find some information.
    Thanks Father
    Phil Bracy

  2. Philip Bracy's avatar
    Philip Bracy, on April 3, 2013 at 6:21 pm said:

    Father, you mentioned Ministr-o- Media audio tapes which presenting a problem for our Parish library. We have two of the audio tapes, Christ his passion and death and Cor Ad Cor Loquitur both by Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen. The problem is we had hoped to be able to purchase CD’s of these but I can’t find a phone number or contact to order them. I did find them with listed at an address in white plains, Md. but no contact information. There was a reference to a St. Joesph’s parish in Pomfrat, Md but the number was disconnected. Any help would be gratefully appreciated. Phil

    FATHER JOE: Fr. Brady is retired and his operation was shut down many years ago. As far as I know all his equipment was pre-CD audio tapes. If I find out more I will email you at the address attached to this message. God bless!

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