Nigerian Catholic Nun on How Youths Can Leverage Social Media as Tool for Evangelization

The workshop that was held at Jubilee Retreat and Conference Centre, Effurun, Delta State also sought to build the skills of Priests and lay persons in the province around the concept of missionary discipline.

In her presentation that was titled, “The role of youths and young adults as missionary disciples in our contemporary age of social media”, Sr. Madueke proposed storytelling as one of the strategies the youths can employ to evangelize on social media.

The member of the Institute of the Sisters of the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus said that youths should normalize sharing “personal stories of how faith has impacted your life, struggles, and growth in a genuine and relatable manner.”

“Personal narratives can be compelling and resonate deeply with others. Use social media to offer words of encouragement, prayers, and support to those who are struggling or in need,” Sr. Madueke said, adding that the youths should be mindful of the content they share on social media and their interactions online which should reflect Christian values with an aim of spreading positivity and hope.

The young people, she said should collaborate with other Catholic influencers, organizations to amplify messages and reach wider audience. 

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The Catholic Nun proposed “cross-promotion” of each other’s content to expand outreach.

The Nigerian Catholic Nun said the youths can also use social media to evangelize by sharing uplifting quotes from Saints, Popes, Scripture, and Catholic authors. She added that memes with a positive or thought-provoking message can engage a broader audience.

She said that the youths should also address contemporary issues from a Catholic perspective, offering insights, prayers, and practical advice. She said they should engage respectfully in discussions on topics relevant to faith and society.

For effective social media evangelization, Sr. Madueke said that the youths should “conduct polls to gather opinions on faith-related topics or host live sessions where the followers can ask questions about Catholic teachings, practices, and life.”

She also proposed digital advocacy for social media evangelization where she urged the youths to advocate for social justice issues aligned with Catholic Social Teachings, such as human dignity, life issues, care for creation, and solidarity with the less privileged of the society.

Encouraging followers to join in prayer initiatives, sharing resources for personal prayer and devotion and using social media to promote local parish events, retreats, youth gatherings or conferences are among the strategies she said the youths can also explore in evangelization.

The Nigerian Nun said that the young people can also create event pages, share updates, and encourage attendance through engaging content on their social media pages.

Sr. Madueke said that through the dedicated use of these strategies and with a prayerful mindset, “social media can become a powerful tool for sharing the faith, engaging in meaningful conversations, and spreading the love and teachings of Jesus Christ in the digital age.”

Silas Mwale Isenjia is a Kenyan journalist with a great zeal and interest for Catholic Church related communication. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Linguistics, Media and Communication from Moi University in Kenya. Silas has vast experience in the Media production industry. He currently works as a Journalist for ACI Africa.