Catholic Communications launches electronic evangelization efforts

Staff report

SPRINGFIELD – The Catholic Communications ministry has launched a Facebook fan page as another evangelization tool in the Diocese of Springfield. In an effort to reach out to more people and “spread the Good News,” Catholic Communications is expanding further into cyberspace, according to diocesan spokesperson Mark Dupont.

“For more than 10 years, Catholic Communications has had a presence on the Internet, initially with the main diocesan Web site, www.diospringfield.org and then our news and information site, www.iobserve.org,” he said. “This represents our ongoing commitment to bring the ‘Good News’ to people, whatever media they utilize, because that is what we believe Christ would have done.”

The Facebook fan page will link users to diocesan Web sites like iobserve.org. It also will offer interesting links and updates through the Facebook news feed. Those interested in becoming a fan of the Catholic Communications page can search for Catholic Communications and click on the fan page.

Catholic Communications joins several other church organizations and publications with fan pages on Facebook, including Catholic News Service, Catholic Digest(ital) and Pope Benedict XVI. Other spiritual Facebook fan sites include Our Lady of Fatima, Pier Giorgio Frassati, Dorothy Day and Cathedral High School Campus Ministry.

Recently, Europe’s federation of bishops’ conferences held a plenary in Rome that was dedicated to “Internet Culture and the Church.” French Bishop Jean-Michel Di Falco said, “By not being present (on the Web), you cut yourself off from a large part of people’s lives.”

Catholic Communications also is launching a blog at www.wmasscatholicvoices.wordpress.com.

The site is meant to inspire, amuse and educate. The creators of the site hope it will become a way of sharing viewpoints, reflections, a good homily, a joke or photo. It is intended to be a place for faith stories and another medium for communicating or evangelizing. Submissions may be sent to wmasscatholicvoices@gmail.com.

Catholic Communications also is using the Web to reach out with the Web site of the Diocese of Springfield, www.diospringfield.org. It will feature Mass times for Christmas at parishes in western Massachusetts. A “hot link” will be available on the home page for a quick click to see where and when one can attend a Christmas liturgy.

Internet users also can click on www.iobserve.org to find the Mass listings. A quick glance at the list shows that Masses are available in several languages and varying times. Many feature children’s liturgies and Christmas pageants. Most involve special choirs and Christmas music. And many parishes will celebrate the traditional “Midnight Mass.” However, some parishes have moved that celebration up to an earlier hour or two.

“We wanted to offer the people of the Diocese of Springfield the opportunity to find Christmas Mass information quickly and easily,” said Dupont.

In addition to the Web site information, Catholic Communications will air a special “Chalice of Salvation” Christmas liturgy on Dec. 25 at 11 a.m. on WWLP-22NEWS.