Research, Knowledge of Audience among Ways Catholic Youths in Africa Can Effectively Engage Social Media to Evangelize

For instance, she said referring to youths in Kenya, “the rejection of the Finance Bill in Kenya underscores their desire for transparency, fairness, and economic justice.”

“Knowing your audience is important,” Claire emphasized during the July 12 virtual event that the Pan-African Catholic Theology and Pastoral Network (PACTPAN) organized in collaboration with the Conference of Major Superiors of Africa and Madagascar (COMSAM).

She continued, “Once you've identified a problem to solve, you need to find your target audience. Who do you want to reach? What kind of content would appeal to them?”

Claire also identified having some insight into the social media platforms to engage as vitally important. She said, “Before you begin, you should understand what type of platform you will use. You must understand how these platforms work, the type of people found on them, and the ideal type of content to post.”

“We should strive to create existing content that attracts young people and makes it a means of growing their faith and belief, for example, short, flashy titles that appeal to young people and fit into their language,” she said. 

The Kenyan Catholic influencer urged young people to ensure that content posted on social media “is communicated clearly and with no room for misunderstanding.”

“For example, the young people in Kenya were very clear about what they wanted during the protest,” Claire said referring to the ongoing youth-led protests that have resulted in President William Samoei Ruto deciding to throw out the Finance Bill and bow to more pressure , dissolving his Cabinet. 

She said that social media as a tool to promote social good and evangelization by young people is “accessible and within reach. Young people can use platforms to share inspirational messages, promote charitable initiatives, and raise awareness about social issues.”

Social media platforms, Claire said, provide “tools for organizing events, campaigns, and advocacy efforts, as well as fostering dialogue and engagement.”

“Young people can initiate conversations about faith, spirituality, and social justice, inviting others to join in and share their perspectives,” she said, and added, “Through social media, young people can amplify marginalized voices, promote diversity, and advocate for justice.”

Claire continued, “By using their creativity and technological skills, young people can effectively contribute to the church's mission of evangelization in social justice as social media provides a platform for them to make their voices heard and influence public opinion by sharing stories of faith, acts of kindness and efforts to build a better world.”

The July 12 event is the latest in the series of digital palavers that theologians and other experts in Africa have organized to deepen the understanding of the Synthesis Report that came out of the October 2023 session of the multi-year Synod on Synodality. 

More than 180 people participated in the July 12 event that was realized under the theme, “The Mission in the Digital Environment”.

Also speaking during the event, Bishop Gerald Mamman Musa of Nigeria’s Catholic Diocese of Katsina described digital media as a “double-edged sword” and highlighted challenges and opportunities of engaging social media forums. 

“It has its good side, and it has its bad side. Digital media can mean so many things to so many people; it can be used positively and negatively. It comes with distractions and temptations,” Bishop Musa said.

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He added, “I have met people who have refused to go to church on Sunday because they are attending some online Mass; they are attending some online service somewhere, so they have substituted the digital media or online service and online Mass to the real Mass.” 

The Nigerian Catholic Bishop said digital media can be a source of misinformation.

“We have also had situations where Christian doctrines Christian and teachings are being misinterpreted on social media. In as much as we can defend the faith there on social media platforms or using the new media, we will find many instances where we have fake interpretations or wrong interpretations of doctrines,” the pioneer Bishop of the Nigerian Catholic Diocese that Pope Francis erected in October 2023 said. 

Digital media come with opportunities, he said, explaining that they transcend “boundaries and that is why it is an advantage for us as digital missionaries today. For example, I use four different media platforms to post my messages.”

Digital media are also “cost-effective”, Bishop Musa said, and added, “If I'm going to print some of the messages that I have, or if newsletters are going to be circulated in hard copies, we know how much we are going to pay for, especially when we want it to transcend our local boundaries, transcend our local Dioceses.”