This past weekend I was on NPR’s “Interfaith Voices” radio show, discussing the Pope, Twitter, Lent, and Catholic social media.
Listen or download the below:
NPR Interview
Download the mp3 here (9 minutes)
Topics Discussed:
0:55 – Why is the Pope on Twitter?
1:21 – Is the Pope’s social media use surprising?
2:10 – What kind of tweets does Pope Benedict send?
2:47 – The Church hierarchy and online egalitarianism
4:21 – Social media in the Diocese of Orlando (my diocese)
5:10 – When social media is most powerful
6:44 – Mormon social media
7:23 – Evangelical Protestant social media
I was a little worried when the host asked the curve-ball question about my own diocese (I didn’t know that was coming). If you Google “Catholic social media“, the very first hit is an article lamenting our diocesan social media policy.
Our strict policy is a well-known source of tension in the diocese and I’ve been petitioning to change it for a few years. So I hope I answered the question charitably without throwing my diocese under the bus.
What are your thoughts about the Pope tweeting during Lent?