This guest post was written by Kassie Ice, a student at Franciscan University of Steubenville.
Have you walked down the street and noticed how many people’s eyes are locked on their phone screen? Or have you noticed people standing around, possibly waiting on someone, but they fill their time by staring at their phone? The fact that today’s society is so reliant on technology makes it difficult to communicate.
The question is often asked why the Catholic Church is having trouble reaching today’s youth. “Only forty percent of self-identified Catholic young adults are certain that they can have a personal relationship with God.” (U.S. Religious Landscape Survey, Pew Research Center’s Forum on Religion & Public Life, September 2010.) Teenagers are currently so wrapped up in their own worlds of technology, that they often miss their surroundings. Just through my day to day routine, I have witnessed how preoccupied teens are with technology. As a student, I notice other students leaving the classroom, and rather than greeting their fellow students or discussing the previous class material, they exit the classroom with their head down, eyes locked on their phone. Teenagers are so engaged in electronics and online interaction that they miss opportunities to interact with others. This is one of the many reasons why the Church is struggling to reach the teens of today.
The Catholic Church desperately needs its members to evangelize, especially to youth who are the future of the Church. The Church is meant to evangelize at all times, for this is why Christ made the Church. In the final chapter of St. Matthew’s Gospel he says, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age.” (28:19-20) Therefore, Jesus is telling us to give witness through our words, actions, and example. The media and technology is a powerful tool that the Church can use to reach society and teach the truth.
There is an obstacle of evangelization because the Church has not taken advantage of new media as well as the rest of the world. Teenagers are comfortable with media because they were raised using technology, unlike previous generations. Therefore, whether they realize it or not, teenagers are very engaged with technology, from laptops to iPhones always within reach. Even in the classroom, students are doing homework online and are often allowed to have laptops. People are oblivious to the time spent on electronics. Therefore, a significant way to communicate with society is through the media.
In order to catch the attention of teenagers, products presented in the media must have high quality in addition to having good content. Anything put into the media by the Church must have truth and content that will lead people in the faith, but also quality so that it will catch people’s attention and maintain their interest. If a young person sees something that does not spark their interest, they will ignore it. If they see something relevant but it loses their interest, they will not wait around long enough to actually hear the message trying to be portrayed. Time is valuable and if people do not feel like their time is being well spent, they are not going to give their attention.
Advertising is an example of trying to catch the individuals’ attention and win them over. The advertiser tries to find something appealing to the audience, while trying to sell their product. A part of advertising’s attraction is that the advertising sparks an interest. Even if a product is decent, if it is not well presented, people will not pay attention. In the same way, the Church must evangelize in an appealing way. The Church must stay strong in its teaching and never alter the truth, but it should appeal to its members. Pope Francis knows this reality as he urges his cardinals “to find new ways to bring evangelization to the ends of the Earth.” (www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-21801700)
The Catholic Church’s place in society is to draw its members closer to Christ, and to attract and educate those outside the Church. New media is another tool to be used to draw Christians into the folds of the community. Two marks of the Catholic Church is that it is one and holy. Therefore, the Church is supposed to unite all of its members in Christ and help them grow towards holiness, which ultimately gains eternal life. However, the fact that so few people are active in their faith is posing a problem.
Therefore, the Church must strive to meet people where they are, and lead them to holiness. One way in our current society is through technology and the media. If we can take advantage of the material people are reliant on to lead them to Christ, than we are truly fulfilling what Christ asked us to do as the Church. The most important goal of Catholics is to gain eternal life in heaven and to bring along as many people as possible. Therefore, we must evangelize in the most efficient way to win souls for Christ.
