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Herald Malaysia
11 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Herald Malaysia
Middle Eastern influencers join Church's first digital missionary jubilee
For the first time in its history, the Church is celebrating a jubilee dedicated to digital missionaries, recognizing the vital role they play in spreading the Gospel in today's digital world. Among them are Catholics influencers from the Middle East, from lands where evangelization first began, shaped by persecution yet marked by deep resilience, and carrying with them a witness born from both suffering and unshakable hope. Jul 30, 2025 Digital missionaries and Catholic influencers participate in the Mass for the Jubilee of Digital Missionaries and Catholic Influencers on July 29, 2025, in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican. | Credit: Daniel Ibañez/CNA By Romy Haber For the first time in its history, the Church is celebrating a jubilee dedicated to digital missionaries, recognizing the vital role they play in spreading the Gospel in today's digital world. Among them are Catholics influencers from the Middle East, from lands where evangelization first began, shaped by persecution yet marked by deep resilience, and carrying with them a witness born from both suffering and unshakable hope. A Chaldean voice for Christ online Among the participants is Father Simon Esaki, a Chaldean Catholic priest from California with Iraqi roots. He currently serves as pastor of St. Michael Chaldean Catholic Church in El Cajon. With over 100,000 followers on Instagram, he began focusing on digital evangelization during the COVID-19 lockdown. 'I was on social media before that, but during that time is when I really started to focus on spreading the Gospel using social media because of the closure of many churches. People were not going to church, and so I felt the need to go where the people were, which is on social media. I saw that people were using it a lot, and so I decided to start making videos to share the Gospel and to encourage people about their faith, to teach them, and to help them love Jesus more.' For Esaki, this work is part of his vocation: 'I see my social media work as an extension of my priestly mission, because my priestly mission is to help people know and love Jesus more. I do that at my church, but I also do that on social media.' He said he was moved to take part in the Jubilee of Digital Missionaries because of the source of the invitation itself. 'I was drawn to participate in this jubilee because it's a very special thing to receive an invitation from a dicastery of the Catholic Church itself, and so I really felt called to come here because of that. I think it's a very special and beautiful thing that the Church has initiated this… It's the Church gathering her children who are in the mission field, this very special mission field of the digital world, and it's the Church encouraging us, giving us tools, and uniting us to fulfill this great and beautiful mission.' Reflecting on the impact of the jubilee, Esaki added: 'I think that one of the fruits of this digital jubilee is that we are all being united in Christ in a very special way, because there's a real unity that comes with being physically connected to one another. Yes, we are all digitally connected over these years, but this is a real special physical unity, which is the goal of our life in Christ. It's to be united to him. And that's what I hope is the ultimate fruit of this: that we are able to unite with one another, and we are able to help others be more united to Jesus Christ in his Church.' Twins amplify the voice of Eastern Christians Also taking part in the jubilee are Charbel and Giovanni Lteif, Maronite Catholic twin brothers who manage some of the most prominent Christian social media accounts in the Middle East and North Africa. Through their platform, which has over 615,000 followers on Instagram, they aim to amplify the voice and presence of Eastern Christian communities in the digital space. Giovanni told ACI MENA, CNA's Arabic-language news partner, that he hopes their participation in this jubilee can offer encouragement to those just beginning their digital mission. He emphasized the need for the Eastern Christian world to be more visible and engaged. Charbel highlighted the value of learning from the experiences of other brothers and sisters in Christ and deepening his understanding of how the Church views the digital world. Together, the twins also carried an ecumenical message, underscoring the importance of unity between Catholics and Orthodox, especially in regions where Christians face persecution. They also issued a heartfelt call for prayer for peace across the Middle East and North Africa. From the peripheries of Lebanon to Rome Another participant from Lebanon is Michel Hayek, founder of Yasou3ouna, a popular platform dedicated to prayer and spiritual reflections. With over 85,000 followers on Instagram and 290,000 on Facebook, Yasou3ouna has become a space where thousands turn daily for comfort, encouragement, and faith. 'I chose to take part in the Jubilee of Digital Missionaries because I believe the Christian message must reach everyone, and today's digital platforms have become the new pulpit for bearing witness and proclaiming the faith,' he said. 'I feel a spiritual responsibility to use these tools in service of God's word, spreading hope and love in a world often overwhelmed by noise and superficiality.' This experience, Hayek said, also deepened his awareness of what it means to be a Christian from the Middle East. 'I carry a rich spiritual heritage rooted in the land of Christ, a land that, despite pain and trials, has witnessed the Resurrection. It teaches us to remain steadfast and hopeful in the face of suffering.' As a Lebanese influencer from Akkar, a marginalized region in northern Lebanon often overlooked and heavily affected by poverty and instability, Hayek sees his mission as giving voice to a Church that remains alive against the odds. 'I offer a testimony of a Church that is still vibrant, despite all the political and economic challenges. I bring a spirit of openness and dialogue, and a sincere commitment to peace and love. Through the content I share, I try to express the Eastern Christian faith in a modern, accessible way, one that speaks to hearts across the world.'--CNA
Herald Malaysia
a day ago
- Politics
- Herald Malaysia
Catholic digital media at a crossroads
The Church's digital presence reveals a deeper call to communion, truth, and reform Jul 29, 2025 The Jubilee of Digital Missionaries and Catholic Influencers, underway in Rome July 28-29, is a milestone for online evangelization.(Photo: By Jess Agustin This week in Rome, Catholic content creators from around the world are gathering for the Church's first-ever Jubilee of Digital Missionaries and Influencers. The event signals recognition from the Vatican that the internet is now a mission field. As the Church affirms its growing digital presence, it must also confront a sobering reality, one many Catholics face daily online: the spread of disinformation, polarization, and conspiracy-driven content across platforms. These narratives are pushed by individuals, as well as influential websites and media outlets posturing as Catholic voices, and yet often distort Church teaching and undermine the very Gospel the Jubilee seeks to uphold. In recent years, the Catholic media landscape has undergone a troubling transformation. What once served to inform the faithful, foster prayerful discernment, and strengthen the Church's global communion has, in many corners, become a battleground, no longer a space for faith and dialogue, but of accusation. A doctrinal gatekeeping has emerged. To deviate even slightly from the 'correct' view on contested issues is to be labeled a heretic or outcast. This atmosphere of distrust has impacted bishops, priests, theologians, lay personnel, and entire Catholic institutions. Those who promote dialogue on issues like ecology, synodality, human rights, social justice, or pastoral care for marginalized groups are often accused of 'watering down the faith' or pursuing a hidden agenda. This is not limited to obscure websites. Some of the loudest and most influential platforms are well-funded and boast large audiences, leveraging partial truths and inflammatory rhetoric to trigger suspicion and fear. The harm extends far beyond North America and Europe. In the Global South — where faith pervades daily life and the Church is a vital social pillar — these narratives have far-reaching consequences. Grassroots Catholic organizations in the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Timor-Leste, and Cambodia have seen their funding frozen or partnerships quietly canceled, based on suspicion over 'forbidden' causes such as women's health or educational initiatives that merely mention reproductive topics. These programs, aligned with Church teaching and supported by local bishops, were derailed by accusations circulated online. The consequences were tangible: canceled anti-poverty programs, closed shelters for abused women and children, halted emergency responses, and fractured trust between local Churches and their northern partners. In one heartbreaking and well-documented case, funding was pulled from a shelter caring for young women, some with babies born from rape or incest. The shelter's implementing organization, funded by a Catholic agency, had signed a joint civil society statement that included a single reference to women's reproductive rights. The rest of the statement focused on discrimination, poverty, and domestic violence in Timor-Leste. A North American 'pro-life' website flagged the women's group, prompting an online search 'investigation' by the bishops' conference secretariat. The program was defunded despite full compliance with Church teaching and endorsement by local bishops. As Pope Francis warned, media that claim to defend the faith can end up advancing 'an ideology that divides, lacks love, and seeks to replace the true Gospel.' When Church leaders appear on such platforms — through interviews, statements, or alignments — they risk deepening polarization. Over the past two decades, this parallel media culture has grown more brazen, casting itself as a last bastion of orthodoxy. Some outlets, framed as defenders of 'tradition,' have become ideological echo chambers fueled by rage, conspiracy, and personal attacks. This model is potent because it works. Indignation drives clicks. Provocative headlines sell ads. Anger is monetized. Truth becomes optional. When faith is formed not by the Gospel but by a steady diet of fear and mockery, the result is not discernment but distortion. Things worsened in the later years of Pope Francis' papacy. The attacks turned vicious. Some bishops and cardinals used these platforms to the point of threatening schism. In a 2021 meeting with Jesuits in Slovakia, Pope Francis decried 'a large Catholic television channel' that consistently criticized him, calling such media 'the work of the devil.' Even financial mismanagement, defamation suits, and removal from major social media platforms for spreading disinformation failed to stem their influence. One major outlet eventually folded due to ethical lapses by its founder. Some US platforms even went so far as to endorse Donald Trump in 2024, disregarding his long record of deceit, immorality, and opposition to Catholic teaching. The result is a fragmented Catholic media environment. On one side are official channels, diocesan news outlets, and pastorally grounded media. On the other hand, partisan platforms backed by sympathetic clergy, rallying an 'ultraconservative' base that casts suspicion on the rest. This divide threatens the Church's unity and credibility. They name and shame bishops involved in social issues, discredit theologians, cast suspicion on the Vatican, and treat every word from the pope as a battle line. And it is not one-sided. Some Catholics denouncing toxicity fall into the same traps of mockery and condemnation. The cycle feeds itself. The harm isn't just rhetorical. These narratives break trust, stall necessary reforms, and make the Church less like a community of faith and more like a battlefield in a culture war. Do we believe in a Church that welcomes questions, wrestles with difference, and finds strength in naming its wounds? Or a Church that must always be defended and policed — where any deviation is stamped out? In a May 12 address to the Vatican press corps, shortly after the conclave, Pope Leo XIV declared: 'We must say 'no' to the war of words and images. We must reject the paradigm of war. Communication is not only the transmission of information, but it is also the creation of a culture.' Building on Pope Francis' critique of divisive media, he called on Catholic communicators to 'foster communion especially in an online world where suspicion moves faster than truth.' We may be on the cusp of a return to Catholic media's true calling: to illuminate, not inflame. That calling will be tested this week in Rome. The Jubilee of Digital Missionaries offers more than a celebration. It is a crossroads. The Church can either form faithful witnesses who understand the digital world as a space for communion, or continue ceding ground to influencers who claim to be custodians of doctrine but distort the Gospel. We need content creators who ask hard questions. We need reporting that amplifies the voices of the poor, not the power games of clerics and influencers who side with the powers that be. Not media controlled by watchdogs of orthodoxy, but created by voices grounded in Gospel courage, who name injustice when others look away. We don't need louder defenders of orthodoxy. We need missionary disciples in the digital world who see fidelity not as gatekeeping but as truthfulness, who know that Catholic unity is not born of doctrinal purity tests, but through courageous encounter with buried truths, excluded voices, and wounds the Church has yet to heal. It is not upheld by those obsessed with defending orthodoxy, but by those striving to live the Gospel amid the messiness of real lives, who embody the Beatitudes — in tone, in method, and mission. The future of Catholic media won't be saved by branding or algorithms. It hinges on choosing witness over outrage, communion over conquest, and truth over virality. At its best, Catholic media doesn't just inform. It helps people think clearly, act justly, and return to the all-embracing, transforming love of
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First Post
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- First Post
How to spread faith? The Vatican is calling on ‘hot priests'
With church congregations declining and TikTok influencers holding more sway, the Vatican is looking to advance its efforts to win over young audiences. It is turning heads for help from some good-looking, social media-savvy priests to spread the church's message through social media read more In an effort to draw younger generations back to the church, more than 1,000 priests and friars are set to gather in Rome this week, including some strikingly attractive clergymen with strong social media presence. Image for representation. Reuters What if the path back to faith runs through Instagram, and a really good-looking priest? The Vatican seems to think so. At a time when church pews are thinning out and TikTok influencers hold more sway, the Catholic Church is turning to an unexpected tool to win back young hearts and minds. They are none other than social media-savvy priests with massive online followings and striking good looks. The man behind this modern campaign is none other than Pope Leo XIV himself, who, in his own way, is reinventing what it means to preach in the age of social media. Here's what we know STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Why the Vatican is banking on 'hot priests' In an effort to draw younger generations back to the church, more than 1,000 priests and friars are set to gather in Rome this week, including some strikingly attractive clergymen who've already carved out a strong presence online, according to The Telegraph. Among those attending is Father Giuseppe Fusari, a silver-haired, tattooed bodybuilder from Brescia, Italy, with more than 60,000 followers on Instagram. And his followers? They're not all just there for scripture. 'I hope it will bring people closer to the church, there is a lot of curiosity, and I am convinced that social media is one way to attract people,' Fusari told The Telegraph. The 58-year-old priest regularly shares a mix of Gospel teachings and reflections on life alongside photos showing off his toned chest and inked arms. His social media followers are usually aged between 25 and 55. Then there's Father Ambrogio Mazzai, rugged, guitar-playing, and often seen biking through scenic mountain trails. His photos and videos have earned him a loyal audience who, judging by the comments, appreciate both his sermons and his aesthetics. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'What a beautiful guy our Father is!' gushed one follower on his account. Another added, 'You are very beautiful and very elegant!' Father Mazzai posts almost daily on TikTok and Instagram, where he has a combined following of 460,000, including a fan in Italy's deputy prime minister, Matteo Salvini. Francis X. Rocca, the Vatican editor of EWTN News, believes that social media is essential to the Church's future and that the energy driving this transformation is coming from young Catholics themselves. 'It's not going to be the Vatican office of communications or some diocese that is going to generate the most innovation in this area,' Rocca said. 'But there are a lot of young people, some of whom are coming to Rome, who are experimenting, and they will be the vanguard.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Carrying Pope Francis' Insta-friendly papacy forward To spread an ancient gospel these days, you need to employ modern tools. Pope Leo XIV has understood this very well. He maintains an active presence under his official handle of @pontifex, with 14 million followers. This shift echoes the legacy of his predecessor, Pope Francis, who truly brought the Church into the social media age. Francis viewed social media not as a threat but as a vital communication tool. In 2020 alone, his content was viewed more than 27 billion times. Despite leading one of the most traditional religious institutions in the world, Pope Francis never came off as distant or unapproachable. Instead, he worked to humanise the papacy and make it relatable, often by sharing humble anecdotes from his past, like working as a nightclub bouncer or a janitor in Buenos Aires. His authenticity struck a chord. Within a year of becoming pope, he was named Time magazine's 'Person of the Year' and even appeared on the cover of Rolling Stone. He once said, 'To paint the pope as some sort of a Superman, a star, is offensive. The pope is a man who laughs, cries, sleeps calmly, and has friends as everyone else. A normal person.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD With input from agencies
Boston Globe
3 days ago
- Politics
- Boston Globe
Churches, politics, and taxes
One need not explicitly preach that one political candidate should be chosen over another. Let the Bible readings and the Gospel be the springboards for reminding those in the pews about their Jesus-established obligations and which politicians support those obligations. Advertisement Many parishioners go to church to be nourished in their faith and seek a heavenly destination. These are good reasons. Nevertheless, while politics brought into church can make our celebrations an extension of the upsetting news we are all confronted with every day, that confrontation is necessary when the news screams of hatred, cruelty, fear, racism, hellish political decisions, and evil, inhuman behavior, such as 'Alligator Alcatraz.' Get The Gavel A weekly SCOTUS explainer newsletter by columnist Kimberly Atkins Stohr. Enter Email Sign Up David Pierce Sandwich IRS's pivot ushers in a new set of concerns The simple but irksome question 'Do we really want churches to become more political?' hastened me to express an angst-ridden response: No — never. Eugene Scott raised the question in the context of the recent decision by the IRS to relax the constraints of the 1954 Johnson Amendment, which prohibited churches and other tax-exempt organizations from endorsing political candidates. Advertisement My disposition changed when I got to Scott's reference to Governor Gavin Newsom of California, who recently voiced his opinion regarding the revised interpretation of the Johnson Amendment. Newsom said, 'I don't know if it's healthy — I don't even know if it's legal, but it's not surprising. I just find it politically convenient.' He added, 'It's called gaming the system — in every way.' His terse but judicious statement brought a smile back to my face. With keen insight, Scott notes that 'this pivot' by the IRS 'is not as sharp of a turn as some proponents of the separation of church and state may believe, because, for better or worse, pastors have used their pulpits to make political stances for decades. This is in part because politicians often make decisions that can positively impact churches — allowing them to receive federal dollars.' As a Catholic octogenarian who goes to church frequently, I have never had a priest speak from the pulpit other than on the Gospel without any reference whatsoever to any other cause. However, I believe Scott makes a valid point. Francis J. Hickey II Lexington Online debate: From 'pastors walk a fine line' to who is 'we'? Following is an edited sampling of comments posted on Eugene Scott's op-ed: Churches are splitting apart as congregants, many of whom have known each other for decades, feel their pastors aren't political enough or are too political. Pastors walk a fine line, always in the shadow of either getting fired or losing members. We get so caught up in what is seen, which is temporary, that we forget to pay attention to what is unseen, which is eternal. Yes, the Gospel does provide a moral architecture that guides us in this temporal world, but telling people how to vote on gender identity, or equating Christianity with 'patriotism,' or concluding that a person's believing Christian evangelical theology means they must be MAGA —intolerance cuts both ways — is not Gospel. (EW Piper) Advertisement First question: Who is 'we' in the headline 'Do we really want churches to become more political?' (TerwilligerBuntsOne) Churches can become political when they pay taxes like you and me. (tipinnh) There are three religious truths: 1) Jews do not recognize Jesus as the Messiah. 2) Protestants do not recognize the pope as the leader of the Christian faith. 3) Baptists do not recognize each other in the liquor store or at Hooters. — Author Unknown (pgerlings)
New York Post
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Vatican to host ‘hot priests' influencers who spread word of God to younger faithful as numbers slump
They're hot under the collar. The Vatican is set to host influencers and missionaries to discuss spreading the church's message through social media — and is looking for help from some 'hot priests' who are turning heads with their bountiful internet followings. Over 1,000 priests and friars will flock to Rome on Monday to advance efforts to reach the younger generation of would-be worshippers as congregations decline — with some ungodly good-looking priests who are already doing the Lord's work set to attend, The Telegraph reported Saturday. Advertisement One of them is Father Giuseppe Fusari, a bodybuilding silver fox from Brescia, Italy, who has more than 60,000 Instagram followers on Instagram, some of whom are thirsty for more than just communion wine. 'I hope it will bring people closer to the church, there is a lot of curiosity, and I am convinced that social media is one way to attract people,' the tattooed Fusari told the outlet. 5 Father Giuseppe Fusari has amassed a following as broad as his chest on social media, a pulpit where the 58-year-old spreads the Gospel, his reflections on life and beefy pics. Giuseppe Fusari/Instagram Advertisement 5 The bodybuilding 58-year-old regularly flexes his tattooed biceps on Instagram. Giuseppe Fusari/Instagram The 58-year-old uses his large online pulpit to not only flex his tattooed biceps and toned chest — but also spread the Gospel and share personal reflections on life. Most of his followers are between the ages of 25 and 55, according to the Telegraph. The ruggedly handsome Father Cosimo Schena, Italy's 'most beloved' priest, has seen his flock double in size since he started posting on TikTok and Instagram, the British outlet reported. Advertisement 5 Father Cosimo Schena, 46, has become Italy's 'most beloved' priest after years of posting positive messages on social media. doncosimoschena/Instagram The 46-year-old from Brindisi, Italy, boasts over 454,000 followers on Instagram, where he posts tons of photos of himself flashing his pearly whites and manicured beard. Schena also regularly posts photos with his rescue beagle Storm and advocates for his fellow Italians to adopt pets from local shelters. Offering a softer palate for clergy admirers is Father Ambrogio Mazza. Advertisement 5 Father Ambrogio Mazza, 34, shows off both his active lifestyle and his priestly duties on social media. Don Ambrogio Mazzai, /Instagram Mazza, 34, is a guitar-playing, bike-riding poet who gives his more than 460,000 followers on Instagram and TikTok glimpses of his life as a priest. The dashing clergyman shares tons of selfies and snaps of himself conducting his priestly duties — much to the delight of online admirers. 'What a beautiful guy our Father is,' one follower wrote, according to the Telegraph. 5 The strikingly handsome man of God regularly posts selfies online, much to the approval of online admirers. Don Ambrogio Mazzai, /Instagram 'You are very beautiful and elegant,' another chimed in. These vow-testingly attractive priests are at the vanguard of the Catholic Church's social media mission laid out by the late Pope Francis and continued by his successor, Pope Leo XIV. Advertisement Since taking office, Pope Leo has made regular use of social media apps such as X to spread the Catholic message to his nearly 19 million followers. The Vatican has previously attempted to turn attractive priests into community outreach — setting pulses racing with a calendar of gorgeous men of God back in 2022.
