Online Celebrities - Priests And Religious

[AccountDeleted]

Okay, to start off, I know that this topic might end up being closed if too many 'names' are used, so please let's try to keep it general and not specific.

What I am concerned about lately, and would like to discuss, is the danger of priests and religious becoming 'celebrities' through their online posts, blogs, FaceBook, Twitter, etc.

We have seen very recently, a high-profile media and online priest who has had problems and has now resigned the priesthood and rebranded himself with a new FB page and new Twitter site etc.... without considering this individual situation, my question is about the general trend for priests and religious to become 'addicted' to the online celebrity status and forget their main mission in life is to glorify God.

I know that fame (or simple celebrity status) can be corrupting, and because we are human, it is easy for the 'self' to become more important than the 'body of Christ', the Church.

Our Holy Father, Pope Benedict has encouraged priests and religious to have blogs and to spread the message of the gospel online, but is there a danger (not only to the priest/religious but also to the faithful) when a person is not anonymous but becomes a 'personality' or a 'cult figure'? Where is the line to be drawn and how much online presence should there be? What are the limits that a priest or religious should set themselves, and how does a superior or Bishop monitor such activity to protect those under their care?

I would just like to discuss this topic because there are many so-called celebrities out there. What I mean is well-known priests or religious who tend to get their own following, and who end up being quoted by others. Is this a problem? When that priest or religious then has a problem with their Bishop or the Church, for any reason, is this a danger to their 'fan's or followers? There is one very traditional priest online who is quoted often by others and he seems to be a paragon of virtue with regard to obeying the Church, but what if he decided that the Church was not as trad as he would like as some previous schisms have done? Would 'his fan's follow him or the Church if he started posting this on his blog? I don't think it would ever happen, but who knows?

Anyway, the question is - what is the danger of priests and religious becoming too visible through the use of Internet social media and blogs etc..... thoughts, ideas, etc. But remember, please let's try not to name names if we can avoid it.

By the way, I am a former information technology teacher and university professor, so I am not anti-technology or social media by any means! I am just investigating an idea.

[Lil Red]

i think, speaking in generalities, that a good way for a priest to avoid that temptation is daily prayer before the Blessed Sacrament and daily celebration of the Sacraments.

just a thought, though.

[CatherineM]

I suspect that this is why the Pope doesn't like the idea of priests becoming politicians. They have enough temptations without becoming famous. Bishop Sheen seemed to be able to keep a level head, but he had a great tailor.

[MithLuin]

[quote name='nunsense' timestamp='1308824327' post='2257647']

Our Holy Father, Pope Benedict has encouraged priests and religious to have blogs and to spread the message of the gospel online, but is there a danger (not only to the priest/religious but also to the faithful) when a person is not anonymous but becomes a 'personality' or a 'cult figure'? Where is the line to be drawn and how much online presence should there be? What are the limits that a priest or religious should set themselves, and how does a superior or Bishop monitor such activity to protect those under their care? [/quote]

"In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world."

I think temptation and possibilities for pitfalls are rife in most of our lives. Even seemingly innocent or innocuous things could become cause for temptation, if misused. Meaning....there's no 'safe' refuge, except in Jesus.

So, yes, online blogs (even anonymous ones) can become dangerous.

The first danger is use of time. It is [i]extremely[/i] easy to 'waste' an inordinate amount of time online. I do it all the time. I'm actually doing it right now.... "Let me check my e-mail...." quickly becomes "let me follow this link..." and then you're involved in reading pages and pages of a fascinating discussion and an hour and a half has gone by. When the time online becomes a detriment to other things that you ought to be doing, there's a problem. So, imposing a time limit to online time (or computer time) can nip this difficulty in the bud. Such a restriction can be imposed by one's superiors in religious life, or simply self-imposed to keep it from getting out of hand. It's a good opportunity to practice self control.

(I am being SUCH a hypocrite right now!!!!)

The second danger is to hide behind anonymity. Many people come online to vent, knowing they can hide behind an unknown persona. There's no consequences in 'real life' to saying certain things online, and so..... This becomes an opportunity to act unbecomingly and have no one know you are 'really' the parish priest. Childish, but certainly there. Also, this can be used to criticize one's bosses or church teaching you don't like, which of course leads to scandal when done in such a public venue (and even more so if people know you are a priest/religious, even if your name is secret).

Another danger is to get caught up in the emotions of online debate, and resort to diatribe and arguments with people, zealously defending yourself or lashing out or other sorts of internet drama that bring notoriety more than fame. Misunderstandings are very easy online, and religion is a touchy subject.



And then yes...let's say you get this all right. You behave appropriately online. You don't cause scandal. You don't neglect your duties. You write to edify people and spread the truth of the holy Catholic faith.

Now, comes the temptation you have brought up - fame. What if...people start quoting you? Reading your blog and posting enthusiastically on it? Will you not start to think about your next blog post, saying "I wonder what they'll say about [i]this[/i]..." and allow yourself to get carried away and enamored of your own wit and brilliance? It happens. Too many yes-men fan the ego. In monasteries, monks were often only allowed to write by permission/request, because the assumption was that you should only write your ideas down if [i]someone else[/i] found them worthwhile, not just because [i]you[/i] thought it might be a good idea. Some of that oversight might be helpful online, to keep religious in check, to prevent them from getting carried away or blinded by the limelight.

But this is not really different with becoming a famous published author. Online blog writers flatter themselves a bit too much if they think they are dealing with more fame than, say, Thomas Merton.



As with anything, prudence is needed, and proper awareness of the dangers. If someone thinks 'there are no dangers!' they are even more vulnerable.....

[TeresaBenedicta]

I think this, as with all things, is best discerned in conjunction with a spiritual director. If a priest or religious [i]is[/i] having an online presence, and a successful one at that, then I think their spiritual director needs to be involved intimately. And not just when it seems to start posing a problem... but from the very beginning. That way, the spiritual director can keep an eye on how the fame is affecting the directee, and hopefully ward off any serious problems before they actually develop.

[MithLuin]

Very good advice!

[CatherineM]

Pope Benedict has asked us to use the internet for evangelization. I wonder if he knows what a double edged sword that can be.

[fides quarens intellectum]

i think Lil' Red is spot on about daily Adoration and sacraments.

i would think (and hope) that most of the priests and religious who start blogs, etc. are doing so under the advice of a spiritual director and/or community leader that they have to be obedient to. If they become too much of a celebrity, i would hope their spiritual director and/or community leader would correct them, reassign their duties, etc.

That said, there are always going to be some personalities that are just more charismatic or appealing to large groups of people than others - some people just have a gift of drawing others in, whether they are trying to or not. That does make things tricky for the priest/religious in the spotlight, but i would hope that immersion in the sacraments and humble obedience their superiors would keep them in the right place.

We need more authentic Catholic voices on the internet, so I pray for the priests and religious who are taking up the pope's call.

[MithLuin]

[quote name='CatherineM' timestamp='1308878005' post='2257909']
Pope Benedict has asked us to use the internet for evangelization. I wonder if he knows what a double edged sword that can be.
[/quote]

Yeah, cause no one [i]ever[/i] makes their organization look bad online....

Racist rant from UCLA student:
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=iv&v=zQR01qltgo8[/media]


And of course...we aren't the only ones out there evangelizing and recruiting....


So, yes, not quite as straightforward as it sounds.