If you minister at a parish, a diocese, a religious community or Catholic organization, you may want to know whether having a Facebook Fan Page is worth the effort. That is a reasonable question—even if you already have a Fan Page. A Fan Page is different from your personal Profile Page. It is a commitment.
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Will Seekers Find Good News on the Internet?
Most probably, we all have heard or read Romans 10:14 more than once: “But how are they to call on one in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in one of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone to proclaim him?” (New Revised Standard) We can expand our application of that verse in light of today’s digital world. Many…
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Social Media is Where We Minister
On last week’s blog, “The Year of Faith on the Internet—a Slow Start, ” I asked readers to share their online resources for the Year of Faith. Several readers were kind enough to post websites (mostly diocesan) that listed resources and events related to the Year of Faith. Jean Soto, a faculty member at the Tepeyac Institute in El Paso, Texas, raised this question: Glad to hear that resources are…
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Social Media and Ministry Effectiveness
According to Erik Qualman, author of Socialnomics, “The ROI [return on investment] on social media is that your business will still exist in five years.” That is a pretty strong statement. I wonder what the ROI is for social media in ministry. Much of ministry is one on one personal engagement, but there are aspects of ministry that can be supported and enhanced by social media: outreach, education, collaboration, inspiration,…
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HHS Debate Finds Catholics on the Internet
The current debate over the HHS mandate requiring insurance coverage of sterilization and contraception has been widely covered over the Internet and social media. Fortunately, Church leaders and many Catholics are also there to present our case for the right to religious freedom directly to the public as well.
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Pope Benedict’s Message: Silence and Word
In the February 6 issue of Newsweek, the “World on a Page” section (p.8), there is a brief article about Pope Benedict XVI’s Message for World Communications Day 2012 which takes place this year on May 20. The Newsweek writer characterized the Message as an “admonition against the excesses of the Internet.” I had already read the Message and that was not my impression at all.