A digital missionary priest is helping young people connect with their faith. The priest utilizes online platforms to engage with the youth. The goal is to encourage young people to participate in religious activities. The initiative aims to move young people from online interactions to physical religious spaces.
15 days ago
The Catholic Church is actively embracing the digital realm to evangelize younger generations, recognizing the significant time they spend on social media 2. Mexican priest Father Heriberto García Arias, with millions of followers across TikTok and Instagram, exemplifies this new approach, emphasizing the urgency of a Catholic presence in digital spaces 2. His work and upcoming book, "Digital Missionaries: Influencers or Witnesses of Christ Today?", highlight the evolving role of evangelizers online 2.
Father García Arias distinguishes between a "Catholic influencer" and a "digital missionary" 2. While both utilize social media, an influencer might promote products aligned with their values, whereas a digital missionary's primary goal is to share their experience of Christ 2. The ultimate aim of digital missionary work is to facilitate a transition "from the screen to the altar," meaning social media serves as a path, not the final destination, for spiritual engagement 2.
The Church is making significant strides to be present in the digital context, adapting to new cultures and ways of thinking prevalent among younger generations 2. The upcoming Jubilee of Digital Missionaries and Catholic Influencers, coinciding with the Jubilee of Youth, signifies the Church's official recognition of these new evangelists 2. Just three years prior, the term "digital missionary" barely existed, yet today there are over 3,500 worldwide, demonstrating rapid growth and acceptance 2.
Despite the newness and potential "fear" associated with this digital shift, Father García Arias asserts that positive "fruits are already being seen" 2. He acknowledges the risk of trivializing the message but emphasizes the Church's experience in adapting to diverse cultures 2. Crucially, digital missionaries must be well-formed and accompanied to ensure they remain "united in the same truth" and avoid becoming self-referential 2. The focus must always be on Christ, not the individual missionary, to maintain the Church's authority and reputation 2.
Father García Arias's presence on social media stems from a pastoral urgency to meet young people where they are, conveying the Church's "beautiful message" in their language 2. He shares numerous testimonies of lives transformed by his digital messages, including individuals who reconsidered abortion, found hope amidst illness, or were deterred from suicide 2. He believes "the Holy Spirit is acting through algorithms," reaching hearts in need of God's word and hope 2. His work is supported by the Church and his bishop, providing him with the necessary peace and strength for this vital mission 2.
How does the Church evangelize in the digital age?
The Church evangelizes in the digital age by recognizing the internet and social media as significant "spaces" for human interaction and communication, not merely as "tools" . This approach involves proclaiming the Good News within digital environments and utilizing these platforms to foster a culture of respect, dialogue, and friendship .
The Church's engagement with digital reality has been a continuous reflection since 1967, with yearly World Communications Day messages addressing the topic . In the 1990s, these messages began to focus on computer use, and since the early 2000s, they have consistently reflected on aspects of digital culture and social communication .
Pope Benedict XVI, in 2009, emphasized that media should not only connect people but also encourage relationships that promote respect, dialogue, and friendship . Pope Francis has further acknowledged that the digital world is "indistinguishable from the sphere of everyday life" and profoundly impacts how humanity acquires knowledge, disseminates information, and develops relationships .
The digital highway is seen as a "street teeming with people who are often hurting, men and women looking for salvation or hope" . Through the internet, the Christian message can reach "to the ends of the earth" (Acts 1:8) . Keeping the doors of churches open also means keeping them open in the digital environment, allowing people to enter and the Gospel to reach everyone .
The Church is called to communicate the image of itself as the home of all, and social networks are one way to experience the call to discover the beauty of faith and the encounter with Christ . The Church aims to bring warmth and stir hearts in the area of communications .
Specific opportunities offered by the internet include:
While offering numerous opportunities, the digital world also presents challenges. Pope Benedict XVI noted that many young people, overwhelmed by the infinite possibilities of computer networks, may establish communication methods that do not contribute to their human growth, potentially increasing feelings of loneliness and disorientation . This highlights an "educational emergency" that requires creative intelligence to promote humanizing communication, critical thinking, and discernment .
The Church recognizes that an inadequate presentation of the Gospel can obscure the authentic face of God and religion, leading to indifference, especially among the young . Therefore, effective and fruitful dialogue requires tuning into the same frequency as those being addressed, fostering friendly and sincere gatherings .
The Church's practical engagement with social media has demonstrated its power as a tool for ministry . A notable example is Pope Francis's prayer and message on March 27, 2020, during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic . Through televised and live-streamed transmission, his prayer reached millions worldwide, uniting people in a moment of communion despite physical distance .
Many individuals and local communities are already engaged in faithful and creative ways on social media, giving witness to their faith . The Church encourages coherence and unity in expressing faith and witnessing the Gospel in both physical and digital realities, inviting people to direct encounters, community experiences, and pilgrimages that may initially stem from online contact .