Ministering through Media
By friar Mario Serrano
Ten years ago, in the Fall of 2010, I signed up to take a course entitled, Effective Use of Technology for Ministry, as part of my Theological Studies. Little did I know that this course would prepared me for the live-streaming, digital posting, and the interactive technology ministers which are being forcefully introduced to today due to the Coronavirus. That is if one desires to continue communicating with those who we love and/or with those who we normally would be engaging in ministry through person to person encounters.
In 2004, the Pew Center for Research study showed that 82 million people went online daily for religious purposes. I would claim that number is much higher now due to that fact that this has become the primary way of encounter since the Coronavirus.
Prior to the virus outbreak, we friars were already using the gift of media. Here are some of the places you will find us.
Friar Ian’s Blog: biblecodega.blogspot.com
The “Stay Home, Stay Safe” mandate has allowed friar Ian to begin regularly posting on his blog. Enjoy him timely reflections as he has three recent post.
Once on the blog site, you can subscribe to his blog by entering your email address in the "Follow the Codega" box. You can also like and follow @biblecodega on Facebook for even more Scriptural reflections.
Peregrino Gris
Search Peregrino Gris, Gray Pilgrim, on YouTube and you will find a Franciscan Friar Conventual who shares his thoughts and reflection in Spanish all the way from Rome now. He is one of the friars tasked with promoting our Franciscan mission internationally.
El Padrecito Ministries
Friar Masseo, is known within his ministry as “El Padrecito,” which is an intentional outreach to youth through hip-hop music videos and other creative ventures in the arts, entertainment, media and education.
Livestreamed Masses
Friars in the southwest immediately began to have Mass live streamed from the friars’ chapel of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Friary, in El Paso, Texas. The friars have Daily Mass at 8 a.m. (MST) Monday, Wednesday and Friday in English and Tuesday and Thursday in Spanish. Sunday Mass at 9 a.m., (MST), is in English and 11 a.m. (MST), in Spanish.) You do not need a Facebook account to see the Facebook Page where the friars are streaming live.
Simply go to facebook.com/OLMCysletamission/ or to ysletamission.org on your laptop, smartphone or and smart tablet and join the friars in the celebration of the Eucharist.
Evangelizing with and within the World Wide Web is a reality for many of us. I invite you to dive into what is offered by our friars.
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