Fr Maciej Makuła, SDB, a member of the Social Communication Sector, in recent months has been coordinating the activities of "Shaping Tomorrow", the 2024 Communication Conference which will take place from 1 to7 August 2024 at the facilities of the Pontifical Salesian University (UPS) in Rome. He presents some interesting statistics related to the Internet and social networks.
In his article for June, Fr Makuła focuses precisely on young people and their ability to move among social media, acquiring more and more experience, a relevant media culture and learning ethical principles.
Discovering the signs of the times, creating tools and launching projects with young people in the field of media is becoming an urgent challenge for the Church of the 21st century. Social media is fermenting as a leaven for pastoral action and even for the proclamation of the kerygma. Hence the importance of adequate formation, of a network of contacts with young people from all over the world and of evangelizing with young people online.
As Father Makuła states, “this article, starting from the exhortation Christus Vivit, will present some reflections related to the Church's teaching on the involvement of young people in media projects ... Since they are so familiar with social networks, it is necessary to involve them so that they are filled with God, with fraternity, with commitment.”
Considerable space is then dedicated to the Salesian Family and the way it approaches young people in the digital world. “The Salesian Family and its individual members have many unique predispositions to set sail for the digital missionary continent, as we have been able to observe for years on all continents. This became particularly evident during the pandemic, when huge Salesian forces were mobilised to contact young people digitally. Many Salesian institutions had professional activities to present in this regard, which have had and still have tangible results.”
The full text of the article, in pdf format, can be downloaded – in Italian, English and Spanish – here at the bottom of the page.
"We invite you to participate in the communication conference that will be held from 1 to 7 August 2024 in Rome" is the exhortation that comes from the Social Communication Sector.
In view of the Conference, the Facebook page and Instagram profile of "Shaping Tomorrow" are already active.
