MD502 – Authentic Online Presence
ONLINE YOUTH MINISTRY
OBJECTIVE
How can we steward social media well and integrate it into our ministry in a healthy way?
Lord, make us instruments of your peace. Help us to recognize the evil latent in a communication that does not build communion. Help us to remove the venom from our judgements. Help us to speak about others as our
brothers and sisters. You are faithful and trustworthy; may our words be seeds of goodness of the world:
Where there is shouting, let us practice listening;
Where there is confusion, let us inspire harmony;
Where there is ambiguity, let us bring clarity;
Where there is exclusion, let us offer solidarity;
Where there is sensationalism, let us use sobriety;
Where there is superficiality, let us raise real questions;
Where there is prejudice, let us awaken trust;
Where there is hostility, let us bring respect;
Where there is falsehood, let us bring truth.
Amen.
~Pope Francis
INTRODUCTION TO AUTHENTIC ONLINE PRESENCE
“But you are not in the flesh, you are in the Spirit, if the Spirit of God really dwells in you.
Any one who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.”
Romans 8:9,16 RSVCE
Young people are treating technology as a language rather than a tool. They are expressing themselves by creating content that draws attention to themselves. It is a form of language to communicate to the world that they exist and have a voice. As Pope Francis described the internet as a “gift from God,” he also acknowledged that the speed of social media can make it difficult for users to engage in self-reflection. However, Pope Francis also added that the internet and social media should be used to foster real connections and relationship, calling for greater calm and tenderness.
“The digital world can be an environment rich in humanity…
A network not of wires but of people.”
Pope Francis
When we are expressing ourselves online, essentially we are fostering a real and genuine human connection through technology. Although the connection will never be the same as meeting in-person, this online connection still requires an authentic person who wants to form a genuine relationship. Therefore, in order for us to express ourselves online, we need to look into our own authentic identity first.
WATCH
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