Catholic evangelization with Youtube

Clerics using video website to bring Catholic faith to a new generation

That Catholic Show is just one of numerous on-line productions available at the website of Star Quest Production Network — www.sqpn.com.

By ALICIA AMBROSIO
WCR Staff Writer
Edmonton

Who is God?" was one of the top questions asked by Google users in 2007. This confirms a trend identified by an American research centre in 2004: 64 per cent of adult Internet users in the United States use the Internet for "faith related matters."

Catholic organizations and the clergy have figured this out and are turning to Youtube and Facebook in growing numbers in order to minister to the flock, and maybe find a few lost sheep.

Google Zeitgeist, the end of the year report issued by the Internet search engine company, reveals what topics Internet surfers are "Googling" the most. Search topics are broken into three categories, "who is," "what is" and "how to."

In the "who is" category the number one asked question was "Who is God?" while in the "what is" category" the number one question was "What is love?"

Because people are turning to the Internet to find the answers to life's big questions, the Catholic Church, as well as other Christian denominations, are trying to make sure Internet surfers can find the answers they seek on-line.

Increasing Catholic content

Youtube, the popular video sharing website, has seen an increase in Catholic content, including podcasts of a Lectio Divina series led by Toronto's Archbishop Thomas Collins.

Once a month the former archbishop of Edmonton leads lectio divina at Toronto's St. Michael Cathedral. The Toronto-based television station Salt and Light broadcasts the sessions and then gives the footage to the Archdiocese of Toronto to post on its website as a podcast.

Neil McCarthy, public relations and communications director for the Archdiocese of Toronto, told the WCR those podcasts are made available on the archdiocese's website and posted on Youtube along with clips of other talks the archbishop gives.

McCarthy also said the archbishop feels it is important to use this new media as it is a way to reach not just current churchgoers, but also those who do not go to church but are wandering around on-line looking to learn more about their faith or the Catholic faith.

Archbishop Roussin

"We have 50,000 people coming to the church - they're just coming in through another door," McCarthy said, referring to the number of hits the various clips have received on-line.

Collins is not the only Catholic cleric using modern technology as an evangelization tool.

During Lent 2007, Cardinal Justin Rigali of Philadelphia posted a series of podcasts on Youtube. His reflections on the Gospel were among the most watched videoclips on Youtube.

Inside Catholic, a Catholic website where political and social issues are reported on and debated, posted a pro-life video clip on Youtube.

Countless other Catholic videos can be found just by using the site's search tool and keying in the word "Catholic."

Avoiding the garbage

A word of warning though,while inappropriate content is prohibited by Youtube, there is no formal screening process. Youtube relies on its users to flag inappropriate content, which is then reviewed by Youtube staff and removed if it is found to be inappropriate.

The lack of screening means that using the site's search tool turns up a shocking array of clips. Results range from Cardinal Rigali's Lenten reflections to a clip called Catholic Church Fashion Show from Federico Fellini's 1972 film Roma, to clips posted by viciously anti-Catholic groups and individuals claiming to "reveal the truth about the Catholic Church."

Using a little common sense and a more specific search word helps weed out the garbage and increase the chances of finding relevant clips.

Some of the hidden gems to be found on Youtube include a series of podcasts called That Catholic Show. The series is sponsored by The Rosary Army and is distributed on-line by Star Quest Production Network (SQPN).

SQPN is a multimedia organization focused on producing audio and video programs "faithful to the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church." The organization believes the Catholic Church is called to use media "for religious information, for evangelization and catechesis and for formation and education."

Archbishop Thomas Collin's Toronto lectio divina series is available on Youtube.

SQPN also distributes a series of podcasts by Father Roderick Vonhogen, the Dutch priest who launched SQPN. Father Roderick's podcasts include a series called Catholic Insider, which documents his travel adventures, Catholic Minute, described as a "mixed bag" of videoclips and topics presented by Father Roderick and Healthy Catholic which documents Father Roderick's attempt to lose 25 pounds and train for a marathon.

Liturgical violations

Youtube has also been used by lay Catholics to expose liturgical violations carried out by some priests. Most notably, in the Archdiocese of Orange County, concerned laypeople recorded a "Halloween Mass" held at one parish, where parishioners and ministers alike were dressed in their costumes.

A minister of Communion was dressed as a devil. At another Orange County parish parishioners videotaped a woman being refused Communion because she knelt before the priest in order to receive Communion.

These and other clips were posted on Youtube and the website of various lay organizations in the archdiocese along with the contact information for Cardinal Francis Arinze, head of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments.

Revolt against Telus

Podcasting has also been adopted as a new tool in the public relations arsenal. Vancouver's Archbishop Raymond Roussin used podcasting to lead the faithful of his archdiocese in a revolt against Telus, the telephone, Internet and wireless service provider, when that company decided to make pornography available to clients via their cell phones.

Telus eventually decided not to offer pornographic material, citing an "onslaught" of complaints from customers opposed to the new service. It didn't hurt that Roussin also directed 130 Catholic schools and parishes to cancel their Telus services.

Meanwhile Facebook, the popular networking site, is host to countless pages related to Roman Catholicism, to specific saints and to various Catholic organizations.

These pages serve as a more informal on-line gathering place for Catholics of all stripes to exchange ideas and simply be aware there are other like-minded - and sometimes not-so-like-minded - people out there who share the Catholic faith.

Whichever site Catholics are logging on to in order to feed their faith, they are doing it in increasing numbers and more and more talented evangelists are making sure that spiritual seekers are finding what they need on-line.

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