USCCB Releases Guidelines for Social Communications

Alicia Ambrosio

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Earlier this year, Pope Benedict XVI encouraged priests to become familiar with new media as a possible tool for evangelization. In light of this, the United States Conference of Bishops

have released guidelines for church-personnel on how to use social media-such as blogs and Facebook pages- as part of ministry.

The document said that social communications can offer three principle opportunities and challenges to the the Church and to the world at large:

Visibility

Community and

Accountability

Furthermore, the USCCB said social media can offer increased visibility, a tool to strengthen the community and accountability. Among other things, Church groups are instructed to define boundaries of appropriate communication for their site, include a code of conduct on the site, and provide instruction to users on how to report inappropriate material and block offensive users. When providing links to other website church groups are instructed to provide links to trusted website and be familiar with what is on those sites.

For the full list of guidelines visit www.usccb.org/comm and click on diocesan resources.