Diocesan youth event describes social media as ‘good friend, bad enemy’

SAN PABLO City, March 6, 2014—Sometimes seen as a modern dark angel, social media, or the online world in general, should be acknowledged as something that may be used for both good and bad, a priest-speaker told hundreds of youth at a recent diocesan youth event.

“Most of the times, we label media as a ‘source of sin.’  Instead, let us look at media in a similar way as a title of a Fernando Poe, Jr. film ‘Mabuting Kaibigan, Masamang Kaaway.’ (A good friend, a bad enemy),” said Fr. Favie Faldas, SDB, Chaplain of the Federation of National Youth Organizations (FNYO) at the 1st Social Communications Media Summit hosted by the San Pablo Diocesan Youth Commission held last March 1.

Young evangelizers online

Fr. Faldas, one of the plenary session speakers, challenged some 350 youth participants gathered that day, “I hope a day will come when, instead of priests like me, a youth, perhaps one of you, would be the one who would be speaking about evangelization, and it is possible through Social Media.”

In his keynote speech, San Pablo Diocesan Youth Commission executive secretary Kristian Edsel Amarante, posed questions about digital natives’ online behavior and its potential for new evangelization.

“As humans, it is our nature to communicate and it just so happens that in today’s generation, the primary means of communication is through the internet via social media. The essential question to be asked though, is what do we communicate online?  Is it just [for] ourselves or do we bear witness to our faith as we post our thoughts online?” Amarante asked the delegates gathered at the Canossa School-Sta. Rosa.

More than random status updates

According to him, the internet has become the de facto hang-out place for young people, where inhibitions are all but forgotten.

“This technologically-inclined generation is not hopeless,” Amarante emphasized.

“We [the youth] have many skills and talents.  We use the internet to reach and communicate. Though it has its own downside, it is a powerful tool to communicate love and goodwill to humanity,” he added.

Amarante also called on the youth to heed the call to become “catalysts and evangelize” more “than [just] posting and tweeting random things.”

Sessions on specific aspects of information technology and social communications were given by youth leaders and media practitioners such as Mary Whilssy Candelaria of the CBCP-Episcopal Commission on Youth; Engr. Karl Michael Hila of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul;  radio personality, author and pro-life activist Ilsa Reyes; Sr. Rose Agtarap, FSP, print media expert; Nirva’ana Ella Delacruz, YouthPinoy editor in chief; Fr. Tony Hidalgo of the Diocese of San Pablo, a photographer; Carolyn Bonquin, a TV field reporter; and Br. Ritchie Fortus, a seminarian who spoke about the proper etiquette in social media.

The said event concluded with the celebration of the holy mass presided by Bishop Buenaventura Famadico, D.D. of the Diocese of San Pablo. Geriz Bigol also gave a wrap-up talk, which served as a commitment session for the delegates. [Guilian Geronimo/Nirva’ana Ella Delacruz]