According to lectures at the Universita degli Studi di Perugia, the internet connects users, increases the volume of connections, and the connection speed (R. Marchetti, Italian media landscape: A fragile system?, April 18, 2019). The Catholic Church engages the internet through websites, blogs, online periodicals, social media, and many other platforms to fulfill the previously mentioned purposes. The internet can also benefit evangelism, prayer, and practice of religion (H. Campbell, religious communication, April 18, 2019). Laypersons use the internet as a platform for expression and connection, just like digital entrepreneurs, spokesman, and strategists do. According to Dr. Campbell, digital entrepreneurs as regular people who feel called to present the church on the internet, digital spokesperson are paid to spread the messages of the church via media, and digital strategists are “represent offline community online, creating new ways of doing ministry” (religious communication, April 18, 2019). Below, is a link to a Catholic website called Catholic Exchange:
This website seems to frame the Catholic faith as their religion by promoting Catholicism and spreading the word of Christ. They frame the Catholic Church in a positive light by only publishing “the finest articles that explore the saints, devotions, and the everyday spiritual and practical aspects of Catholicism” (About Catholic Exchange, 2019, p. 1). This website appears to be run by a digital spokesperson because it is subjective, is institution and theological in the basis of expertise as it contains news articles, blogs, podcast, and much more and it “acknowledges history and tradition” on its about page (H. Campbell, religious communication, April 18, 2019). The engagement with internet illustrated above is similar with what was learned during class. This site is an example of Catholics using internet for evangelistic, communal, and educational purposes.
References
About Catholic Exchange. (2019). Catholic Exchange. Retrieved from https://catholicexchange.com/about
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