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Priests find great potential in use of new media |
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By Trista Turley - Catholic News Service
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Monday, 13 July 2009 |
Some are turning to podcasts, social networking sites to spread church's message
Father Jay Finelli is host of “iPadre,” a Catholic-centered podcast he launched in 2005. He is pastor of the Church of the Holy Ghost in Tiverton, R.I. - CNS photo / Courtesy of Father Jay Finelli
To their parishioners, they are known simply as “Father Jay” and “Father Bill.” But to many others, Father Jay Finelli and Father Bill Kessler are “iPadre” and the “Technopriest.”
The two diocesan priests are among a growing number of Catholic clergy
using podcasting and other new media to spread the message of the
church.
Father Kessler is the pastor of St. Patrick Parish in Pana, Ill., and
Sacred Heart Parish in Oconee, Ill. In 2005, he launched the
“Technopriest,” a regular podcast series dedicated to Catholic
teaching. Father Finelli also launched his podcast, the “iPadre,” in
2005. He is the pastor at the Church of the Holy Ghost in Tiverton, R.I.
In a late June interview with Catholic News Service, Father Kessler
said he began podcasting after a number of his former parishioners
asked him to post his homilies online. He developed a test program in
February 2005 and started his podcast that March. “I’ve been doing it
every weekend since, except when I have technical difficulties,” he
said.
The content of the “Technopriest” podcast has evolved over time. In
addition to delivering a weekly homily, Father Kessler discusses
technology and “the daily life of a parish priest in central Illinois.”
Each podcast episode also features a “podsafe” musical selection
related to the message of Father Kessler’s homily. Podsafe music is
music that is not copyrighted.
In 2006, Father Kessler began working with video technology as well. He
started recording the weekly Mass in its entirety and posting the
videos online so that “folks who were in areas where they had no
priests could hear the readings . . . and participate as much as they
could,” he said.
Father Kessler also utilizes the social networking Web sites Facebook and Twitter.
Evangelizing in cyberspace?
The Catholic Spirit would like to hear from local priests and members of religious communities who podcast or use Facebook, Twitter or other new media. Tell us what you use and how you use it.
E-mail:
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Write “New Media” in the subject line.
Please include your name, address and a daytime telephone number.
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Inspired by another
In a separate interview with CNS, Father Finelli said he considered
podcasting for a long time before finally deciding to start “iPadre.”
He made the decision after listening to Father Roderick Vonhogen, a
Dutch priest who podcasted coverage of the 2005 death of Pope John Paul
II and subsequent election of Pope Benedict XVI.
“I thought if [Father Vonhogen] can [podcast], I can do it, too,” Father Finelli said.
Since September 2005, Father Finelli has produced nearly 160 episodes
of “iPadre.” In each episode he typically plays a podsafe musical
selection, responds to questions and feedback from his audience, talks
about any interesting Catholic news and discusses a Catholic topic of
the day.
Father Finelli also addresses some nonreligious topics on his show.
Audience members like to know that “priests aren’t just in the church
all the time,” he said. “We have what some people call a real life as
well.”
In addition to his work with podcasting, Father Finelli maintains an account on Twitter.
Both priests said they have seen positive results of their work with podcasting.
Some of Father Finelli’s non-Catholic listeners have decided to join
the church, while some lapsed Catholic listeners have started attending
Mass and confession again, he said. “I get e-mails all the time from
people who are seeking the faith,” he added.
Father Kessler reported similar successes. He is particularly happy
that his work encourages those who are already Catholic to become more
engaged in their faith.
“Most Catholics are Sunday visitors. That’s the bare minimum,” he said. “God calls us into a deep and rich relationship.”
New way to evangelize
Father Kessler believes that podcasting and other new media technology
can serve as a powerful tool for evangelization. Because of new media,
“folks who otherwise wouldn’t hear the Gospel will maybe hear the
Gospel; folks who don’t step into our churches at all may hear
something that affects them,” he said.
“Paul used the power of speech to make Jesus Christ alive and present,”
Father Kessler said. “Like Paul, [priests who use new media] are
saying, ‘Here’s what [the church] has to offer and here is what Christ
has to offer.’ [Listeners] can turn us off but more often than not
they’ll listen.”
Father Kessler said audio podcasting is something many priests can
learn to do with relative ease. “The more [priests] can do to get a
message of hope out there, the better our world will be,” he said.
Father Finelli also sees an opportunity for evangelization through new
media. “There’s a lot of potential [in new media],” he said. “[This] is
important because we have so many people who are fallen-away Catholics.”
He believes that podcasting and other media technology can play a
significant role in drawing people back into the church. “Podcasting is
about building a community,” he said.
Father Finelli and Father Kessler are both members of the Star Quest
Production Network, an organization specializing in Catholic new
media. Its podcasts can be found on www.sqpn.com.
Father Kessler emphasized that listeners do not need to own an iPod to
listen to or view a podcast; any MP3 player or computer with an
Internet connection will suffice.
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