The Pillar Podcast is hosting a live recording event in Chicago on March 19, 2026. The event is scheduled to begin at 7 pm at the Nisei Lounge (3439 N. Sheffield Ave.). The actual recording of the show is expected to commence around 8 pm. Access to the full content, including details for paid subscribers, requires a subscription to The Pillar.
2 days ago
The Pillar Catholic has announced a live recording of its podcast in Chicago.1
Hosted by JD Flynn and Ed. Condon, the event promotes casual interaction, including a reference to "sport peppers."1
The recording is set for March 19, 2026.1
Attendees should meet at 7 pm at Nisei Lounge, located at 3439 N. Sheffield Ave., with the show starting around 8 pm.1
This event is exclusive to paid subscribers of The Pillar.1
Subscribers can verify access via pillarcatholic.com/listen on their phone and check the top right corner of the webpage.1
Assess Catholic Church’s stance on modern media engagement
The Catholic Church views modern media—including mass media, the internet, and social networks—as "gifts of God" created through human ingenuity, offering immense opportunities for evangelization, dialogue, and human connection, while urging caution against their risks such as moral corruption, consumerism, isolation, and information overload. This balanced approach emphasizes responsible, creative use integrated with Gospel values, critical discernment, and pastoral strategies to foster authentic human and spiritual growth.
The Church has consistently affirmed modern media as marvellous inventions aligned with God's providential plan, uniting people in brotherhood and advancing evangelization. From the Second Vatican Council's Inter Mirifica onward, documents highlight media's role in meeting human needs and opening new avenues for sharing the Gospel. Pope John Paul II described the media as "the first Areopagus of the modern age," calling for integration of Christian messages into the "new culture" they create. The internet, in particular, carries religious teaching "beyond all barriers," enabling the Church to proclaim Christ to the global family.
Recent examples underscore this potential: During the COVID-19 pandemic, Pope Francis's prayer in an empty St. Peter's Square, live-streamed worldwide, united millions in communion despite physical distance. Pope Francis has encouraged bold citizenship in the digital world, where social networks can reveal faith's beauty and facilitate missionary encounters.
Media engagement is not optional but a mandate for the Church's mission to the ends of the earth. Synod Fathers in Oceania urged creative, responsible use to reach non-practising Catholics and build solidarity. The Church should develop pastoral plans at national, diocesan, and parish levels, encouraging lay vocations in media and producing professional content reflecting Christian values.
Pope John Paul II stressed high standards for Church media to edify and promote moral growth. Pope Francis envisions social media as "digital highways" teeming with people seeking salvation, where Christian witness reaches peripheries through tenderness and authentic encounters. Personal engagement—going beyond "connections" to true relationships—builds trustworthiness and counters isolation.
Despite opportunities, the Church warns of media's power to harm cultures, moral thinking, and religious behavior when used indiscriminately. Advertising often propagates consumerism, reducing persons to consumers and conflicting with Catholic anthropology. The Catechism cautions against passivity, urging moderation to resist unwholesome influences.
Digital overload risks "mental pollution," shallow thinking, contrived emotions, and isolation from real relationships. Pope Francis notes how rapid information flow exceeds reflection capacity, enabling echo chambers and excluding the marginalized. Concerns include violence, indecency, child exploitation, data misuse, and "brain rot" from endless scrolling. Globalization amplifies these via monopolies.
Church leaders must understand media, formulate policies, and receive training themselves. A voluntary certification system for Catholic websites ensures doctrinal fidelity without censorship. Priests and pastoral workers need media education to communicate effectively in a media culture.
The faithful, especially youth, require critical media literacy, discernment, and formation in human-Christian values. Families and schools aid evaluation of content. Legislators should regulate for the common good, protecting dignity from tech abuses. Pope Francis calls for "political love" and solidarity, prioritizing the vulnerable.
Training occurs in three levels: basic for all receivers, pastoral for clergy, and specialist for professionals. Media must promote solidarity, peace, and dignity.
The Church promotes media education to counter disorientation in a globalized world. Older generations' wisdom, shared patiently, enriches youth beyond media's brevity. Bishops collaborate on ethics codes; Catholics influence media for peace and unity.
In 2025, Pope Francis urged renewal during the Jubilee, combating "brain rot" through formation and courageous entrepreneurship.
The Church's stance is proactive and nuanced: embrace modern media as evangelization tools while vigilantly addressing risks through education, policy, and Gospel integration. This fosters a humane digital culture serving integral development, echoing Vatican II's vision of progress enlightened by faith.