It’s no secret that new media is blanketing our world. Facebook has more than 900 million users. Today there will be over 200 million tweets. And last month people watched three billion hours of video on YouTube. That’s not even mentioning text messaging (Americans exchanged 1.8 trillion in 2010) or blogs (more than 200 million online.)
These numbers show that new media is not just a fad we can afford to ignore. These tools have quickly become the main way of communication for people of every generation. And because of that, the Church must embrace them.
Unfortunately, while the large majority of Catholics use some form of social media or mobile technology, most Catholic parishes, dioceses, and organizations have been slow to adapt.
Which is understandable. New media can be intimidating at first. These tools are so new, and come with their own problems and dangers, and the learning curve seems steep. What the Church needs right now is faithful guidance from experts who are using these tools well, who can encourage Catholics to confidently approach the digital continent. In the words of Pope John Paul II:
“(T)hese ‘powerful instruments’ require specific skills and disciplines on the part of those who use them, and that to communicate intelligibly in these “new languages” there is a need for both special aptitudes and appropriate training.”
If your diocese, group, or conference wants to learn this ‘new language’, there’s no better solution than hosting a Digital Church Conference. This one-day guide to new media is designed for Catholic leaders, clergy, diocesan staff, parish workers, and lay representatives. It was created to teach Catholics everything you need to know about new media in just one day.
The Conference features three highly-acclaimed speakers, each of whom are young, passionate Catholics who love the Church and technology:
- Josh Simmons – Founder and CEO of eCatholic
- Brandon Vogt – Blogger, author, and speaker
- Matthew Warner – Founder and CEO of Flocknote
Together we’ve spoken hundreds of times all across the country and would love to bring the Digital Church Conference to your area. There’s simply no better way to jumpstart your new media revolution.
The best part about the Conference is that you don’t have to plan a thing. We’ll organize your entire day, including engaging workshops, live demos, helpful question-and-answer sessions, and several take home materials. You’re only responsible for the venue and the food–we’ll take care of the rest! We’ll even provide you with the marketing materials you need to help promote the event around your area.
Our mission is simple: to help Catholics use new media more effectively. That’s why we created this Conference, and that’s why we want to bring it to you. To learn more and bring the Conference to your town, check out DigitalChurchConference.com. You’ll find a sample schedule for the day, a list of the topics covered, and several ringing endorsements.
As we take this across the country, we could really use your help spreading the word. If you know someone in your diocese, perhaps a Communications Director or Faith Formation director, or someone in charge of a local conference or event, can you pass the word on? It would be a huge help—thanks!
Learn more at DigitalChurchConference.com!
Bishop Christopher Coyne
Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis
“The Internet is relevant to many activities and programs of the Church—evangelization, catechesis, and other kinds of education. Efforts like the Digital Church Conference help us to expand that relevancy and grow in our ability to use new media to spread the Good News.”
Greg Erlandson
President of Our Sunday Visitor
“Brandon Vogt, Josh Simmons, and Matt Warner are the best of the best: Catholics with real world experience, a strong sense of mission, and a desire to help their Church. Don’t miss the opportunity to get them on your team.”
Fr. James Martin, SJ
Author of The Jesuit’s Guide to (Almost) Everything
“Why use new media? Because that’s where the people are. As Jesus did, we need to speak in a language that they can understand and use familiar media. I hope that the Digital Church Conference will help you learn this new media language and speak it effectively.”
