Center for Catholic Education at UD

By Emma Grace Geckle

“Every Christian is a missionary to the extent that he or she has encountered the love of God in Christ Jesus; we no longer say that we are ‘disciples’ and ‘missionaries,’ but rather, we are always missionary disciples” (Pope Francis, Evangelli Gaudium Chapter 30:120)

With the growing amount of the use of technology in social life, in the workplace, and in education, it is increasingly important to recognize the need for online evangelization. However, it can be pretty easy to turn faith off when turning the computer on.

To set the stage, here are some important statistics from the Winter 2018 NCEA Momentum:

• - 99% of Americans age 18-29 are online
• - 92% of Americans age 18-29 have smartphones
• - 86% of Americans age 18-29 use social media
• - 15% of Americans age 18-29 identify as Catholic
• - 74% of unaffiliated Catholic young adults stopped identifying as Catholic between the ages of 10 and 20

What these statistics show is that young people are online. What these statistics also show is that young people are leaving the Church. This means that social media and technology must be embraced as a means of evangelization and as a tool for spreading the love and joy of Christ and His Church. Separating spirituality and religion from social media separates spirituality and religion from the everyday lives of young people.

How to become an online missionary disciple:

- Follow Pope Francis on twitter (@Pontifex) or instagram (@franciscus)

• - Create and build positive online relationships.
• - Develop cultural and global awareness. The Church is universal, after all!
• - Recognize the vulnerability of online relationships and protect yourself and others.
• - Advertise prayer groups, youth groups, bible studies, and other parish/community events.
• - Use social media as a witness to the love of Christ in your life: tweet your favorite scripture verse, share stories of God’s presence, or even start a blog!
• - Put your phone down and turn your computer off when conversing with those around you. The internet will still be there when your conversation it complete.

Finally, there are so many online Catholic resources for you and for those around you. Here are just a few of my favorites:

• - Check out Fr. Mike Schmitz on YouTube and share in his wisdom.

• • - The Chastity Project is a great way to connect with young people and walk with them through their struggles.
  • - LifeTeen is a program that provides resources to lead teens closer to Christ.

Edited by Lindsey Bronder.