Be Christ’s online witnesses both public and private, bishop reminds social communicators

A Filipino bishop reminded Catholic social communicators to uphold the mission of being online witnesses of Christ not just in their public profiles but also in their private ones.

“Please do not put a dichotomy between your public image as [social communicators] and your private and personal accounts online,” said Cebu Auxiliary Bishop Ruben Labajo.

The bishop was delivering the homily in the Holy Mass during the second day of the Catholic Social Media Summit (CSMS) in the Archdiocese of Cebu (December 2–3), which gathered social communicators and media practitioners from across the Philippines.

Bishop Labajo explained that they must learn how to harness the power of social media for new evangelization with the utmost caution.

“I exhort you to develop the virtue of prudence in posting and in browsing through the virtual world,” he said.

The bishop also noted the important role of social communications ministry in a post-pandemic world, saying that their work has become a key element in ensuring a more accessible and inclusive Church liturgy.

“These changes in our liturgical preparation from yesterday and today only add to the reality that we need these new ways for new evangelization,” he said.

“Through your dedication and efforts, you are helping people to physically prepare for the liturgy,” he also said.

The Media Office of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), particularly the Filipino youth organization YouthPinoy and the media company Areopagus Communications, organized the two-day summit, which is now in its 12th year.

More than 400 participants attended the event both physically and virtually through Zoom. - Luke Godoy