Cathal BarryArchbishop Eamon Marin has warned that social media is becoming a “harsh and dehumanising” environment for Catholics.
Noting that “more and more journalists, members of the Church and other people with a public profile, have had to stop using social media as they have become victims of vitriol and abuse”, the Archbishop of Armagh said it was a “shame that aggressive behaviour and offensive language have contributed towards social media becoming a harsh and dehumanising environment for some”.
“The sins of bearing false witness, defamation, detraction and calumny are no less grave just because they are committed behind the anonymity of a computer screen. They still destroy the dignity of another human person. When such negative communications emanate from sources purporting to be Catholic or Christian they are particularly reprehensible,” he said.
Addressing the 40th anniversary conference of the Catholic Communications Office of the Irish Catholic Bishops’ Conference recently, Archbishop Eamon also praised and encouraged the work of “committed Catholics” who chose a career in communications.
“I am greatly encouraged that more and more committed Catholics are choosing to develop their particular charisms in communications as presenters, commentators, writers and digital missionaries for the sake of the Gospel and the good of the Church.
“We need to be able to affirm one another, nourish these initiatives, not be afraid or too controlling or possessive of the task of proclaiming the Good News – the Spirit is doing new things and we should not stifle the Spirit’s work,” he said.
Noting that that many people “prefer to present bad news about the Church”, the Primate of All-Ireland said it was “uplifting to increasingly come across examples in media of the beautiful, edifying and spiritually inspiring aspects of the Church, its inspiring contribution to peace, reconciliation, charity and justice – all of which reflect the beauty and goodness of God”.
Speaking at the same conference, Jesuit Fr Thomas Casey said that “we all know that technology has given bullies a much wider platform through online name-calling and we know this can emotionally destroy children and teenagers”.
Words could “cause irreparable damage,” the St Patrick’s College, Maynooth philosophy lecturer said, adding that people needed “to give less air time to words that trivialise our lives, that shrink our very selves”.