Bishops Deliver High Tech Vocations Info
WASHINGTON (August 6, 2004) -– The United States bishops are going high tech in distributing vocation information about the latest class of men ordained to the priesthood.
The bishops, who each year present data on the ordination class, this time will provide information on an attractive CD-ROM. Materials include video clips, pictures of several of the recently ordained from around the nation and biographical material. It also includes frequently asked questions and the opportunity to learn more through the press of a key.
The CD-ROM, which is interactive, will be linked to and accessible on the Web site for the Secretariat for Vocations and Priestly Formation (www.usccb.org/vocations).
The CD-ROM is made possible with a grant through the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center.
Bishop Blase Cupich of the Diocese of Rapid City, interim chair of the bishops' Committee on Vocations, greets users of the CD-ROM in a video clip with an overview of this year's project, which stressed the theme: "Chosen by the Father, Anointed Like the Son, Sent in the Holy Spirit."
A second video clip highlights the men ordained to the priesthood in 2004.
The CD-ROM includes a report by Dean Hoge, Ph.D. of the Catholic University of America Life Cycle Institute. The report, which provides such details as educational background and ethnicity of the newly ordained, can be downloaded for easy publication and distribution.
The CD-ROM was developed by J. Stocco, president and CEO of Zebra3media.com. Stocco, who has had years of experience in the entertainment industry, recently noted the similarity between CD-ROM efforts and Hollywood productions in an address to the International Association of Business Communicators.
"Interactive multi-media production has many of the same elements of TV and movie production, including script development, voice-overs, selection of appropriate music, graphic design and audio/video editing and engineering," he said.
In preparing the CD-ROM for the vocations project, he used many already existing materials such as photos and videos.
"Existing photos can be given new life by adding motion effects, music and voice-overs, he told the IABC. "Old videos can be edited to create an artistic montage that adds text, music, animation and digital effects."
This project was dedicated to Bishop Kevin M. Britt of Grand Rapids (MI), who died unexpectedly while serving as Chair of the Bishops' Committee on Vocations.