Part I: Overview-What is Evangelization?

Caroline Cerveny, SSJ-TOSF, D. Min.

Learner Leader
 Digital Immigrant
 Founder of Interactive Connections
 Master of Arts in Educational
Technology and Religious Studies
 D.Min. in Parish Revitalization
 Educator in secondary education for 4 Years
 Pastoral Associate for 2 Years
 Diocesan Service for 16 Years
 Congregational Leadership for 4 Years
 Publishing Industry Electronic Media for 4 Years
 University Academic Technology and Campus Ministry for 7 Years
 New Media Formation since 1983 (30 Years)
What we will focus on:
 What is Evangelization?
 What is Digital Culture?
 Why we are using social media tools?
What is Evangelization?
 Pope Paul VI in Evangelii Nuntiandi
 “evangelization is in fact the face and vocation
proper to the Church, her deepest identity. She
exists to evangelize

 USCCB : Go and Make Disciples

 http://old.usccb.org/evangelization/goandmake/eng.shtml
What is Evangelization?

 Bringing the Good News of Jesus into every

human situation and seeking to convert
individuals and society by divine power of the
Gospel itself.
Goals for Evangelization
USCCB
 To bring about in all Catholics such an enthusiasm
for their faith that, in living their faith in Jesus they
freely share it with others
 To invite all people in the US whatever the social or
cultural background to hear the message of
salvation in Jesus Christ so that they may come to
join us in the fullness of the Catholic faith
 To foster gospel values in our society promoting the
dignity and the common good of our society, so that
our nation may continue to be transformed by the
saving power of Jesus
Goals for Evangelization
 Steeped in Prayer
 Focus on everyday life
 Evangelize Church goers with a deeper faith
What is Good News?
 Loving God that is intimately involved with
us
 Intermediary is Jesus
 Salvation through Jesus’ sacrifice
 God is with us still
Good News of Evangelization
 Evangelization is the deepest part of our
Catholic identity
 ENFLAME those who are already connected to
Christ
 INVITE others to join us – in doing so
 TRANSFORM the world
Evangelii Nuntiandi (1975)
 Goal for communications media - while social
communications can reach millions of people, there
remains a challenge of “piercing the conscience of each
individual, of implanting [the gospel] in his heart as
though he were the only person being addressed, with all
his most individual and personal qualities, and evoke an
entirely personal adherence and commitment” (45).
 The “person-to-person” form of encounter “remains valid
and important” and points to Jesus Christ’s own
encounters with individuals in the gospels (46). He
poignantly asks, “In the long run, is there any other way
of handing on the Gospel than by transmitting to another
person one’s personal experience of faith?”

http://www.capuchins.org/articles/Evan_Nunt_PPVI.pdf
ROME, MAY 5, 2011 (Zenit.org)
Evangelization in a world of
communications technology is the biggest
challenge the Vatican is facing today,
according to the president of the Pontifical
Council for Social Communications -
Archbishop Claudio Celli
New Culture Example
 400,000 primary school children in Uruguay studying on
laptops
 "From first grade," the Archbishop said, "they learn to
relate to and to know one another through the computer.
To find out something they go to Wikipedia, and they
connect from home with their friends. A child who lives
in connection with others, for example, understands
better what it means to be in communication." And he
will also be able "to understand better what the Mystical
Body of Christ is" because he will understand better what
it means to be in communication with the Church.
 Nevertheless, the Vatican official cautioned, a paradox
exists, because "while one is connected, at the same time
one is very alone."
Basic Problem:
According to Archbishop Celli

 How well is the Church able to

communicate and proclaim the Gospel in
this digital culture?
Digital Culture Creative Classroom

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_bWNSEwe0U
 The Digital World
• Language
• Culture
• Skill

http://energise2-0.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Digital-Revolution.jpg
Language
 Wiki • Text messaging
 Blog • Photo share
 vBlog • Video share
 Facebook • Podcasts
 Social Media • Webinars
 New Media • Personal Learning
 Twitter Network (PLN)
 Microblogging
How are people using New Media?
 80% of Americans use social media.
 68% of churchgoers want to connect with
their Church via social media.
 79% of all adults use the internet -- 95% of
young adults
 80% of Americans use email
 85% of adults own a cell phone
 87% of teens engage in electronic
communication.
 New Media on the Internet
Every 60 seconds on the Internet:

 204 million emails are sent

 $83,000 in sales are made on Amazon
 20 million photos are viewed on Flickr
 100,000 new tweets are published
 277,000 people login to Facebook
 2 million search queries are made on Google
 30 hours of video are uploaded to YouTube

By 2015, the number of devices connected to the internet is expected

to reach twice that of the global population, and it will take you five
years to watch all the video content that is shared across the internet
in just a single second.

http:ub.theclickdepot.com/The-Click-Depot-Blog/bid/275797/Every-60-Seconds-on-the-Internet
 New Media on the Internet

http:ub.theclickdepot.com/The-Click-Depot-Blog/bid/275797/Every-60-Seconds-on-the-Internet
What is “New Media”
 On-demand access to content any time,
anywhere, on any digital device
 Interactive user feedback
 Creative participation and community formation
 Creation
 Publication
 Distribution
 Consumption
SKILL
Three skill sets of . . .

Technology

Communications Educational Information

Technology Technology Technology
Three skill sets of . . .

Technology
Communications
Educational Technology
Technology (CT has Information Technology
(The study and ethical
boomed in the recent (an industry that uses
practice of facilitating
past, with the Internet, computers, networking,
learning and improving
email, VOIP, and video software programming,
performance by creating,
conferencing. and other equipment and
using, and managing
Communication is possible processes to store,
appropriate technological
in a large variety of process, retrieve, transmit,
processes and resources)
mediums and technologies and protect information)
– social media)
Three skill sets of . . .

Technology
Educational
Technology (The study
and ethical practice of
facilitating learning and
improving performance
by creating, using, and
managing appropriate
technological processes
and resources)
What Media do you know?
Why use social Media?
 St. Paul evangelized according to the media
of his time

 Bishop Sheen did the same with TV.

 Pope – Twitter
Our Media
 Go where the people are

 Reaches new audiences

 Provides information in the manner that we are

used to finding it

 Available and accessible

The New Media -- TODAY
 We are expanding the message of Christ
and the apostles become our own

 NOT changing the message … but making it

relevant to our time
New Media – Right Tool
 Technology use
 General public
○ 2% innovators,
○ 14% early adopters
○ 34% early majority
○ 34% late majority
○ 16% laggards
New Media – Right Tool
 Technology Use among Catholics
 estimate 1% are innovators,
 9% early adopters,
 20% early majority,
 30% late majority,
 40% laggards

 Fr. Roderick Vonhogen – New Media

Helping Catholics to Embrace New
Media
 Educate
 Presentations, seminars, YouTube TRAINING
videos, newspaper columns, one-to-one witness,
Emeritus Pope Benedict’s call to adopt new
media

 Encourage
 Improve current modes of technology use
○ Email
○ Website
Helping Catholics to Embrace New
Media
 Encourage
 Adopt current modes of technology
 http://www.xt3.com

 Expose Excellence
 SHARE what you find (Curating)
Helping Catholics to Embrace New
Media
 Evaluate
 Where are we now?
 Where we need to go?
 PLAN with experts

 Execute
 Build the idea of what “users” want
 Does not have to be expensive
 Use Guidelines by USCCB
 Social Networking Policy by your diocese
New Media – Authentic Voice?
 How can I remain confident that we are truly
communicating THE Catholic faith and my OWN
versions of the Catholic faith? My solution is to
saturate my writings with Scripture and the
Church Fathers – but especially the Church
Fathers. If I am to write an article or post about
the Sacraments of Baptism, I have to begin by
admitting the following: What did the great
Fathers, theologians, and saints say about it?
Therefore I try to constantly glean authoritative
passages from Church history.
Taylor Marshall– Church in the new media – Brandon Vogt
Closing Prayer
Heavenly Father, You made us in your image.
May all we do and say
Lead others to know and love you more.
Saint Isidore, Patron of the Internet
And St. Frances de Sales,
Patron of Communications Workers,
Pray for us who face the challenges of
21st Century communications.
In Jesus’ Name, we pray.
Amen.
Caroline Cerveny, SSJ-
TOSF, D. Min.
c.cerveny@verizon.net
https://www.facebook.com/c.cerveny
https://twitter.com/ccerveny
@ccerveny
http://acyberpilgrim.org
http://catechesis20.org
http://digitalcatechesis.ning.com
http://ddbcformation.org

Resource: Evangelization in the Digital Age,

Sr. Geralyn Schmidt, SCC