"The first areopagus of the modern age is the world of communication, which is unifying humanity…The means of social communication have become so important as to be for many the chief means of information and education, of guidance and inspiration in their behavior as individuals, families and within society at large. For this reason, in addition to the numerous traditional means in use, the media has become essential for evangelization and catechesis. In fact, the Church would feel herself guilty before God if she did not avail of those powerful instruments which human skill is constantly developing and perfecting…in them she finds in a new and more effective forum, a platform or pulpit from which she can address the multitudes."

The Church and the Internet
Pontifical Council for Social Communications; February 28, 2002

"Three decades ago Communio et Progressio pointed out that 'modern media offer new ways of confronting people with the message of the Gospel'. Pope Paul VI said the Church 'would feel guilty before the Lord' if it failed to use the media for evangelization. Pope John Paul II has called the media 'the first Areopagus of the modern age', and declared that 'it is not enough to use the media simply to spread the Christian message and the Church's authentic teaching. It is also necessary to integrate that message into the 'new culture' created by modern communications'. Doing that is all the more important today, since not only do the media now strongly influence what people think about life but also to a great extent 'human experience itself is an experience of media'.

All this applies to the Internet. And even though the world of social communications 'may at times seem at odds with the Christian message', it also offers unique opportunities for proclaiming the saving truth of Christ to the whole human family. Consider...the positive capacities of the Internet to carry religious information and teaching beyond all barriers and frontiers. Such a wide audience would have been beyond the wildest imaginings of those who preached the Gospel before us...Catholics should not be afraid to throw open the doors of social communications to Christ, so that his Good News may be heard from the housetops of the world."