Pope: Catholic priests should blog

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VATICAN CITY, Jan. 23 (UPI) -- Pope Benedict XVI says Catholic priests should maintain blogs and otherwise avail themselves of the Internet's powers to spread the Gospels.

Issuing a message Saturday as part of the Roman Catholic Church's World Day of Communications, the pope urged priests to use the Internet's resources, such as images, videos, animated features, blogs and Web sites in "competent" and "appropriate" ways to proclaim the Gospels.

"Priests present in the world of digital communications should be less notable for their media savvy than for their priestly heart, their closeness to Christ," Benedict said, adding that if the priest is to be an effective communicator in the digital environment, as in any other forum, he must be a man of the Gospels.

The pontiff said priests should bear "faithful witnesses to the Gospels" on the Internet said their use of new media should reflect "a strong priestly spirituality grounded in constant dialogue with the Lord" and that the task should be undertaken "with the Gospels in our hands and in our hearts."