Rebranding the Catholic Church with open dialogue

As a new Pope is chosen in the Vatican over the next weeks, one Cardinal who has been embroiled in the sex scandal that has rocked the Catholic Church has taken to social media to try to clear his name.

Cardinal Roger Mahony, who resigned as archbishop of Los Angeles following the release of personnel files documenting priest sexual abuse cases during his tenure, is taking advice from a crisis management firm, writing a blog and tweeting @CardinalMahony his thoughts.

While this is interesting, because it takes guts to put yourself out there, Mahony has yet to respond to any tweets directed at him. Instead he is practicing one-way communication rather than the dialogue that defines a successful online presence. He doesn't allow comments on his blog.

Rather than engaging with the public, he's talking to the public, which is how the church has handled the entire reputation crisis it has faced in the past years.

Rebranding the Catholic Church

When people just create a one-way broadcast stream like Mahony, particularly when the individual is tainted with scandal, it appears defensive even if the motivations aren’t.

The opportunity to elect a new Pope is an excellent opportunity for the church to rebrand. There is an ideal opportunity for a new leader to change people's perception of the institution and to earn back trust.

For centuries, the church has operated using secrecy as a weapon. But in today's always-on, real-time world this approach doesn't work so well.

Besides the new Pope himself, church leaders can truly open up, using tools like blogs and Twitter to engage the public rather than just broadcast to them.

Comments

[Jeanne]

I believe the atholic Church will have a difficult time attempting to rebrand itself. I has to get beyond the stigma of some priests inappropriate behavior with younger boys.

[Krishna De]

The election of a new Pope will certainly signal a change (or not) for the Catholic church.

The use of online channels to support communication has been used very effectively by some here in the priesthood in Ireland.

Someone I have got to know is a Catholic Army Chaplain here in Ireland and he has worked hard to use social media including Twitter and online video to share the work that his cadets are involved with. This has engaged me personally in their work.

If it had not been through social media we had connected then I may never have got to meet him!

Digital technologies can certainly be an enabler in helping all faiths share their message and help us learn more about each other.

[David Meerman Scott]

Krishna, Thanks so much for jumping in. What you've experienced in Ireland is very encouraging. There is so much opportunity for the church to transform. Maybe they should hire you!

[Peter]

I was going to say that this is typical of the Catholic church, standing in the pulpit preaching sermons to all but never listening to any. But then again HMV had a twitter account and the senior management had no idea how to use it. So maybe it was a management thing.

[David Meerman Scott]

Peter - I think it is a combination of arrogance and ignorance.

[Hal Fickett]

I hope a two-way dialogue becomes their strategy in the future regarding the use of social media. I certainly think this is a positive way to engage in the rebranding process. I also think social media is a fabulous way to engage people, Christian and non-Christian alike. Great blog post David! Thanks!

[Gil Pahceco]

You tackled a global icon to make a well pointed PR distinction between the use of broadcast messaging versus engaged communication. While the crisis strategy to influence a general audience may be a good tactic in most environments; your subject icon is unfortunately steeped deeply in a culture of broadcasting rather than embracing a truly meaningful and engaged dilouge for not only "rebranding" - but for internal change as its formost goal. This effort, if accepted, will take at least one or two generations of continuous work and effort in the remaking of the internal culture of the Church to realistically (re)establish its credibility and image in the world.

[John Running]

Great write up. Thanks a lot for sharing !!

[Peter]

I see Scotland's Cardinal Kieth O'Brien has admit his abusive past and will now be investigated behind closed doors with the results never to be realised. Nice to see the Catholic Church sticking to its traditions of hiding everything away. I think Hal you may have to revise how many generations this is going to take.

[CatieRagusa]

Wow! I'm loving this post.

1. t's refreshing to see a different type of article about the resignation of the pope, rather than the who, what, when, where and whys.

2. Is it crazy to anyone else that the church uses social media now? I've always considered it so old-fashioned, it's surprising!

3. It's even more surprising to me that the Catholic Church is rebranding. I never thought of it as branded in the first place.

What's next for the church?
Thanks for this!

[Edwindearborn]

Nice idea, but they are too entrenched. We only know a tip of the iceberg and so they still have to be secret as they still have too many secrets.

[David Meerman Scott]

Thank you Catie. I wouldn't say "the church" uses social media. Certainly some people in the church do. I'm not sure the church is rebranding. My post is simply a suggestion that they do.

Edwin - Sadly, I tend to agree with you. But we'll see...