New Encyclical on Faith Debuts New Look, Social Networking Links

Today, the Vatican released Lumen Fidei, the joint encyclical on faith which Pope Benedict drafted and Pope Francis completed - and along with it a new look:

This is the first major document to appear complete with PDF download and social networking buttons, signaling a willingness on the part of the Vatican to make documents more accessible. The much-maligned parchment is now a background, while the text appears on a lighter ivory. An improved, clearer font also enhances readability.

This popup when you go to the main Vatican webpage invites you to "leaf through" the document (in booklet format) or download the PDF.

Good for them! The change is very welcome and will make the teachings of the Magisterium more accessible and easier to share.

And, bonus!! There is also a separate companion site just posted by Jared Dees (Ave Maria Press) for the encyclical http://lumenfidei.com/ that includes study guide and outline.