May I express my opinion regarding the use of LCD monitors in churches which is becoming very widespread. While acknowledging the benefits of these display monitors to help the congregation participate more closely in liturgical celebrations, there are issues which, in my opinion, have to be taken into consideration.

Primarily there is the issue of usefulness. The use of monitors could be highly useful in large churches, especially those with side chapels, and in churches which have crying rooms for toddlers, where sections of the congregation cannot visually follow what is happening on the main altar. In churches of modest dimensions, however, where nothing hampers the visual contact between the congregation and the celebrant, the installation of such monitors is superfluous, to say the least. In these churches, a makeshift screen should be enough for sporadic occasions like, for example, the visual transmission of the Archbishop's pastoral letters or power point presentations. Linked with the utility issue is that of prioritising the needs of the parish and the proper and careful use of parish funds.

Secondly comes the issue of the aesthetics of the building. Most of our churches are jewels of art and architecture, and they should be treated as such. Modern technology should not be let to trample unnecessarily on this patrimony, which the Church is duty-bound to protect and preserve.

I do not know where competent Curia authorities come in, and to what extent are they involved in such parish projects. Do they simply give their approval to a request when it comes up from a parish, or do they inquire into each case to check whether it is really useful before giving their go-ahead? I would sincerely like to be enlightened in this regard. I am afraid that certain parishes have been so much taken up by this trendy technology-mania that they simply are not open to other options and have succumbed to the misconception that technology could be the panacea for dwindling church attendance.

My suggestion is that Curia authorities should be involved in such parish initiatives from beginning to end. They should first of all look into whether a parish really needs such projects, and whether real and sincere consultation has been conducted at parish level, and what type of consensus has been reached. When this exercise has been satisfactorily completed, competent people should be appointed to supervise the actual installation of these monitors.

The logistics aspect should not be left to the provider of such technology who may not be the best person to advise on this matter. Nor should it be left to be decided by the parish, because experience has shown that for some parishes the safeguarding of our heritage may not be a priority.

It is only then that we can rest assured that a good balance has been maintained between the provision of modern technology and the protection of the artistic fabric of our churches.