Thursday, December 21, 2006

Cardinal O'Malley goes higher tech

As if he hasn't made a big enough impact already with his blog, now Cardinal O'Malley is going to begin podcasting as well. From IHT:

The video messages — in English, Spanish and Portuguese — are part of a broader effort by the Boston Archdiocese to embrace new technology as a way to spread the church's message.

The archdiocese is overhauling its newspaper and television Web sites, including offering the downloadable podcasts. It has assigned e-mail addresses to all priests, a handful of whom have resisted using computers. It also has an intranet site that officials expect will replace the monthly mailings to clergy.

...

The cardinal's first downloadable podcast messages will be available Christmas Eve at Boston Catholic Television's revamped Web site. They will be followed by regular video messages from O'Malley starting in the new year, Donilon said.

All this new effort to reach out to the population at large, and in particular the youth, is a tremendous opportunity for the Archdiocese. It seems Cardinal O'Malley has come out of his shell, after a time of quiet more reflective of his Capuchin vows. I can say one thing, the Archdiocese needs this kind of positive press and I can only hope the rest of the Bishops of the surrounding Diocese follow the Cardinal's lead. After the abuse scandals the New England region in general seems in many ways to have been forced into standing still. Hopefully this augurs a new beginning and an increase in Episcopal involvement throughout the region.

H/T to Curt Jester.