Christianize, humanize the digital world, faithful reminded

A Filipino priest reminded the faithful of the great need to humanize and Christianize the digital world.

Fr. Fran Villegas emphasized how the light and truth of Christ must be shared in the internet through
various social media platforms to mitigate “toxic, destructive, and aimless” dialogue.

“In this era of information overload and connectivity… the proliferation of fake news and wrong values…
we need to stand up [and] step up, now more than ever, in order to spread far and wide the Word of
God in the digital world, which is now the new Areopagus,” he said.

Fr. Villegas was delivering the homily during the opening Mass of the 47th National Convention of the
Catholic Faith Defenders (CFD) on June 8 at the Antipolo Cathedral, Rizal, Philippines.

The two-day gathering, which focused on the theme “Defending the Faith in the Digital Age,” welcomed
hundreds of CFD heads and representatives from across the country.

Fr. Villegas, who serves as CFD’s national spiritual director, pointed out that the work of apologetics
requires constant consultation with the Holy Spirit.

“In the work of evangelization, always start and end with a prayer,” said the priest. “Be sensitive to the
promptings of the Holy Spirit… The work of evangelization [and] apologetics is not about us. It is about
the Lord.”

He described apologetics as “spiritual warfare” that must always involve spiritual guidance from God.

Moreover, Fr. Villegas reminded the faithful that apologetics can only be effective if it is in accordance
with the teaching of the Church or the Magisterium.

He invited everyone to constantly study and explore the faith to equip themselves with the proper
knowledge for defending the faith.

“To know our Catholic tradition is to know our true identity,” explained Fr. Villegas. “[It] connects us to
our rich past, grants us a solid present, and propels us to a promising future.”

Furthermore, the priest explained how apologetics goes hand-in-hand with maintaining an understanding
Catholic lifestyle.

“Whatever we teach must be mirrored in our everyday lives,” he said. “There must be no discrepancies
between what we do and what we say. Our preaching will be more credible if we also do what we
preach.”

Founded in 1963, the Catholic Faith Defenders is a national organization in the Philippines dedicated to
raising awareness about the art of apologetics.

It is an accredited member of the Episcopal Commission of the Laity of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference
of the Philippines (CBCP) through the Council of the Laity.