In May 2023, the Vatican Dicastery for Communication released “Toward Full Presence: A Pastoral Reflection on Engagement with Social Media.” The document called on Catholics to make an examination of conscience about how they use social media and to educate themselves about its potential pitfalls.
Social media a ‘paradox of our times’
Archbishop J. Michael Miller said the Canadian bishops’ pastoral letter on social media shows how much social media is “a great paradox of our times” in which unprecedented access to information collides with “the tendency for many to engage only with content that echoes their own views.”
Social media’s ability to transmit information offers the Church a powerful opportunity to spread the Gospel, a reality that’s illustrated in “Let Your Speech Always Be Gracious,” the archbishop told The B.C. Catholic. Online dialogue in social media also presents Catholics with a challenge to “broaden our horizons” and “engage with diverse perspectives.”
The archbishop welcomed the letter’s proposed “technological Sabbath,” saying a balance between “digital engagement with real-life interactions and spiritual reflection” is vital for nurturing spiritual life and cultivating “genuine relationships” within communities.
“The popularity among many faithful of giving up social media for Lent testifies to the desire for this balance.”
Archdiocese of Vancouver communications director Matthew Furtado also weighed in on the letter. In his previous work as youth coordinator for St. Matthew’s Parish in Surrey, Furtado said he would ask youth “whether they would prefer to be teenagers in the current age of social media or before its advent.”
“Every single one instantly expressed a desire to grow up in a time without social media," he said.
Their response is “revealing, yet paradoxical,” Furtado said. “Despite recognizing the complexities and pressures that come with online platforms, young people also feel a compelling need to be part of it, driven by a fear of missing out.”
Yet social media is a “powerful tool,” Furtado said, pointing out the combined total of Facebook followers for parishes in the Archdiocese of Vancouver parishes exceeds 55,000, which “underscores the significant role social media plays in our faith community.”
This article was originally published at The B.C. Catholic and has been reprinted here with permission.
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Nicholas Elbers is a reporter for The B.C. Catholic, the newspaper of the Archdiocese of Vancouver, Canada.