New Vatican Initiative for the New Evangelization in the United States

August 30, 2012 By Kathy Schiffer

In Fall 2012, the Vatican will launch a major global evangelization initiative for the digital world.

Called aleteia – Seekers of the Truth!, the project has been developed by the Foundation for Evangelization in the Media, under the patronage of both thePontifical Council for Social Communications and the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of the New Evangelization.

A collaborative platform, aleteia is an effort to reach millions—especially youth—by transmitting the Faith on the information superhighway. The organization intends to become the premier Christian social media network on the web, by gathering together partners, media and individuals (members, contributors and experts) who will share in the large evangelization outreach both on-line and in the world. To reach the greatest number of people, aletia’s content will be published in six languages.

In addition to the sponsorship support from the Pontifical Councils for Social Communications and for the New Evangelization, aleteia has also earned acclaim from the Pontifical Council “Cor Unum” and from the Pontifical Council for Culture. Cardinal Robert Sarah, President of “Cor Unum,” in a letter dated May 9, 2012, wrote:

Through the traditional media and the Internet, you wish to make known the evangelical testimonies of charity that show how the Church’s many activities at the service of man are rooted in the experience of the Christian faith. The project will then highlight the close link between faith and charity, and thereby promote evangelization through the great charitable work of the Church, in the spirit of the encyclical Deus Caritas Est.

Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi, President of the Pontifical Council for Culture, noted that the multimedia project continues the success of the Courtyard of the Gentiles, and

“…allows the Courtyard to go beyond its boundaries to share with the world issues and topics that affect all those who are ‘seekers of truth’ as your logo itself defines them.”

aleteia.org promises to provide:

• RELIABILITY: Thoroughly researched, documented and readily available Catholic teachings and answers (pearls) on the most pressing faith, moral and/or social issues of the day.
• IMPACT: Information presented in a way that has real impact in the public debate and therefore helps to shape our current culture; and
• CONVENIENCE: The Christian universe is enormous, with a seemingly endless number of sites, blogs and websites. Through partnerships with the top content providers, aleteia.org is the one-stop shop for those seeking the truth.

Here in the United States, the organization will be hiring five persons who will work together to advance the New Evangelization, working in offices based in Washington D.C.

aleteia.org is in search of Partners to contribute to its worldwide Catholic network, sharing faith resources for those seeking Truth. Individuals and organizations interested in contributing should visit their website at partners.aleteia.org to learn more.

Announcement of the global initiative—slated for launch by theVatican in late September—will be made at the International Catholic Marketing Network Trade Show. OpusFidelis is the communication agency selected to help launch this global initiative here in the U.S., with a presentation of the new project at the CMN dinner on August 30.

Source.