Pope Benedict XVI called on Catholics yesterday to use the internet responsibly, warning the young not to trivialise religion online or replace human interaction with virtual communication.

“It is important to always remember that virtual contact cannot and should not be a substitute for direct human contact with people at all levels of our society,” the pope said in a message to mark the 45th World Communications Day.

The day will be celebrated on June 5 under the theme “Truth, proclamation and authenticity of life in the digital age,” but the Pope’s speech was made public yesterday, feast day of St Francis de Sales, patron saint of journalism.

The Pope called on Christians to “unite with confidence and with a responsible creativity” on social networks, which he described as “an integral part of human life.”

He asked the younger generations to “make good use of their presence on the net” and stressed the importance of communicating in ways that are “honest, open, responsible and respectful of others.”

“The truth we are seeking to share does not draw merit based on popularity or the amount of attention it receives. We have to let it be known in its integrity rather than watering it down to try and make it acceptable,” he said.

Pope Benedict’s message “is rich and positive because in today’s society we run the risk of trivialising communication,” Claudio Maria Celli, head of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, told journalists.