Flooding the internet with modernism is not the same thing as evangelisation
Pastoral Expert Eder-Cakl: Digital Church needs diversity
Catholic influencers and social media representatives meet from July 28 to 29 to discuss digital Evangelization
Demonstrating a life-affirming faith and not supporting fake news and polarization: This is one of the greatest challenges in social media, Gabriele Eder-Cakl, Director of the Austrian Pastoral Institute (ÖPI), told Kathpress ahead of a meeting of digital missionaries and Catholic influencers in Rome. From July 28th to 29th, around 1,000 "Missionaries of Hope" – bloggers and social media activists – from around the world will gather at the invitation of the Vatican's Dicastery for Communications to exchange ideas about digital evangelization. The theologian emphasized that the focus should be on "the greatest possible diversity of faiths."
The ÖPI director herself wants to showcase authentic life on social media: "The people who follow me on social media should see that this is also reflected in my daily life, in the rhythm of the church year." This also means promoting diversity, engaging in dialogue, and providing pastoral care: "Images and texts are particularly important to me." Therefore, the focus on social media should not be on a "narrow-minded, one-sided, and fundamentalist faith," but rather on dialogue.
Austria is prominently represented in Rome, including Eder-Cakl, the Viennese Franciscan Father Manuel Sandesh, Missio staff member Anne Fleck, Young Missio director Johannes Schwarz, and Ana Stanic from the Diocese of Innsbruck. The program includes a Mass, workshops on digital pastoral care, a prayer vigil, a penitential liturgy, and a pilgrimage to the Holy Door in St. Peter's Basilica. On the second day, a central Mass will take place in St. Peter's Basilica, followed by a public meeting in Piazza Risorgimento. Virtual offerings complement the program ( www.digitalismissio.org ).
The First Festival of Catholic Influencers
Some of the participants
More into Synod than Church
"Digital Church" in Austria
In the digital space, the church is, on the one hand, a host, offering pastoral care and assistance, and, on the other hand, a "guest in people's digital world." This can lead to valuable conversations in the digital space, "in which Jesus and God play an important role."
Eder-Cakl cited the reactions to a school shooting at a Graz school on social media as a positively touching example, where many people shared candles online and expressed their grief. The "beblessed.at" campaign – a blessing for young people before exams – also "moved many and touched the lives of young people."
As part of the meeting in Rome, Eder-Cakl plans to share experiences from Austria, for example from workshops on topics such as "Help with Hate Speech," "Content Management," "USP Christian," and "Realizing Visions." For her, it is crucial to act on a sound theological foundation, while at the same time remaining open to what concerns young people today. "This is changing me and helping me grow in my faith."
The Austrian Pastoral Institute is currently dedicated to the task of establishing a network for the digital church in Austria. The specially established "Digital Pastoral Care" working group, with representatives from pastoral care, communications, church development, religious orders, and church contributions, coordinates digital pastoral care initiatives. This includes virtually all pastoral areas of the Catholic Church in Austria: parish pastoral care, bereavement counseling, spiritual guidance, telephone counseling, pilgrimage support, and worship broadcasts, according to the Pastoral Institute. (Info: www.digitalismissio.org
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