IEC Media Briefing January 26 : Use social media but with substance, Rev. Barron to priests

Priests can go high-tech in spreading the word of God!

The use of new media is a creative way of bringing back people to church. 

 This was the statement of Most Reverend Robert Barron, auxiliary bishop of Los Angeles, California, USA.

Barron was among the panelists in a media briefing at theInternational Eucharistic Congress Pavillion.

 He said there is a noted decrease among those who go to church and social media among other modern methods, should be used by the clergy .

 The social media and the Internet, he said, is an extraordinary tool to evangelize.

“It will be silly not to take the advancement,” Barron said.

However, Barron pointed out that its usage will be maximized positively.

“You must have something substantial to share. You study. You read. New media must be backed up by the Old Media, which are the books, scripture,” Barron said.

He said that in his own diocese, more than 70 percent of Catholics are no longer attending masses. “This is a spiritual disaster,” he said.

Barron said that it is the Filipinos that keeps the church alive.

  

He said he could feel the vigilance and the passion in Cebu where Christianity began in the Philippines.

Barron is the founder of Word on Fire, a global media ministry dedicated to new evangelization methods.

On the other hand, Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma said that while there is a  need to innovate again it should be with more  learning and praying.

Palma calls on the practitioners of traditional forms of media to help them in keeping the faith alive.

Over 15,000 delegates are in Cebu for the IEC which runs from January 24 t0 30.

 It is the second time the IEC is held in the Philippines. 

*Photos are all taken by Virgilio V. Verzonilla of PIA-Cebu