[Archive May 3, 2006]
The most recent issue of Business Week had a very nice article on Sister Judith Zoebelein, 57, an American nun of the Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist who runs the Vatican’s Web Site : "O Click All Ye Faithful: The nun who launched the Vatican's Web site is at work on a MySpace for Catholics" (May 8, 2006 by Steve Hamm). One has to register with Business Week with premium service to view the full article. You may try to view it here.
It begins… Deep inside the Vatican, a white-haired nun dressed in a brown habit opens the door to a room full of computers. The whirring machines hold some of the mysteries of the Holy See, including photographs of the Vatican Secret Archives and of ancient illustrated manuscripts. No, this isn't a movie trailer for The Da Vinci Code. Our guide is Sister Judith Zoebelein, the editorial director of the Internet Office of the Holy See. She's showing off a small but potent Vatican data center, which bristles with servers and other high-tech gear.
To start, “the Vatican” is often confused with “the Holy See”. This is a distinction that is not well understood. I’m not clear myself on the exact distinctions but I’ll give it a go here. The Vatican is the state that is the legal and international structure that supports the mission of the Holy See. The Holy See is the See of the Bishop of Rome (i..e. The Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI) for the pastoral care of Universal Church. Aside: It is the Holy See, not the Vatican State that has a permanent observer at the United Nations. However, I’m not sure whether or not the 190 or so ambassadors from different nations and states are accredited to the Holy See or to the Vatican.
Nevertheless, the Vatican has had its own website since 1995. It has certainly grown along with the Internet. Certainly false images and opinions of the Catholic Church often coexist with true beliefs. For those inclined to seek the truth of the Vatican’s “positions” on various topics (i.e. what was actually said or written, not hearsay or rumor) this site is a nice resource. It also helps to promote “The New Evangelization” begun by Pope Paul VI (Bishop of Rome from June 1963 to August 1978) by presenting authoritative magisterial documents of varying degrees, addresses, homilies of the Holy Father and other documents and events of interest like the annual “World Youth Days”.
Now Sister Judith is creating a second Vatican Web site, set for launch in the fall, that is aimed at bringing together the faithful so they can interact. Think of it as MySpace.com for Catholics. There will be personal news updates, e-learning programs, and areas set aside for families, young people, and parishes. Collaboration is key, and that should differentiate the site from others in its genre. "People will be able to find each other and work together online, and then go back and use what they have learned or done in their own communities," says Sister Judith.
The Vatican’s site has had “technical problems” in the past such as incomplete or mangled documents. From my experience, I found its “search feature” to be incomprehensible. However, a document or event can be readily found if one knows what he or she is looking for. Material can be searched in German, English, Spanish, French, Italian and Potruguese. The "L'Osservatore Romano" section has some items in Polish.
Two features stand out. For Catholics, the search engine is a powerful tool to help them explore their faith. Type in a keyword such as "forgiveness," and you'll get results organized around various sources, including the Pope, the Catechism, and the saints. For aficionados of Renaissance art, the site is a revelation because of its use of 360-degree photography of the Vatican's galleries and close-ups of artworks. Many of the Vatican's finest paintings are ceiling frescoes. The only practical way to see them close up is on the Web site. "This is an example of the Web providing an experience that can't be had in the real world," says Tiffany Shlain, founder of the Webby Awards.
The volume of material on the current Vatican Web site can be overwhelming but it is well worth a look. Technology in itself is morally neutral. It can be used like many other realities for either good or for evil. It's good to see that the Vatican continues to embrace new technologies and ambitiously uses them for the good! I am hopeful that their new Web Site will not be a "zero sum gain" when compared to current Catholic sites, forums and blogs.
Photo: Business Week (May 8, 2006)
Tags: Judith Zoebelein, Vatican
