WelCom June 2019:
he Vatican and many dioceses mark World Communications Day on the Sunday before Pentecost; which in 2019 is 2 June. In September last year, the Vatican released Pope Francis’ theme for the 53rd World Communications Day, for 2019 – ‘We are members one of another: From network community to human communities’ (Eph 4: 25).
The theme underlines the importance of giving back to communication a broad perspective, based on the person, and emphasises the value of interaction always understood as dialogue and as an opportunity to meet with others.
In his message on the theme, published by the Vatican on January 24, the feast of St Francis de Sales, patron saint of journalists, Pope Francis said he wants people to use social media as a network, not a web. Christians must do more to make sure the media, especially social networks, are places of dialogue and respect for others, rather than instruments for highlighting differences and increasing divisions.
The theme choice for the 2019 message confirms Pope Francis’ attention to the new communications environment and for social networks, especially, where he is present in the first person with his @Pontifex account on Twitter and @Franciscus on Instagram.