Cardinal Dionigi Tettamanzi the latest YouTube sensation

UK Telegraph:

One of the Vatican's most senior cardinals has become an internet sensation after using YouTube, the internet video-sharing website, as a pulpit during Lent.

Cardinal Dionigi Tettamanzi, 73, the charismatic Archbishop of Milan, responded on film to a set of questions that were emailed to his diocese. He intends to post a new video every Friday until Easter.

Mgr Tettamanzi prefaces his question and answer session with a catechesis for Lent.

The success of the first video, which was downloaded more than 16,000 times [now over 64,000 - AmP] in a few days, has surprised the Church.

More than 12,000 people a day are emailing questions for the cardinal to answer. In the last video, Mgr Tettamanzi preached about the meaning of baptism.

... The diocese of Milan said that YouTube was a useful tool in helping it spread the Easter message.

"The cardinal's attitude is always one of dialogue," said a spokesman.

I can't attest to this sentence one way or the other:

He is one of the most liberal figures at the top of the Catholic Church, and is possibly the leading Italian candidate to become the next pope.

The claim about being "liberal" sounds like typical british tabloid editorialism. As for his being a leading candidate to become the next pope, I find that these sources rarely even attempt to back up such statements.

If you can understand Italian, the video is here on YouTube.

Zenit notes this case as part of a wider use of new media by Church figures. A good read.

update: as if on cue....

"Video of His Eminence Cardinal George's visit to the Shrine of Christ the King in Chicago is now available through the Institute's Web site:

• Part One on YouTube
• Part Two on YouTube

His Eminence, the President of the USCCB, assisted and preached at Solemn Mass at the Shrine in the extraordinary form of the Roman Rite.

Funds are currently being gathered for the shrine's restoration."