Vallejo, California, February 25, 2009 – The Pope has a Youtube account. Plug “God” into Google and in under two milliseconds you are treated to over 533 million links. Even Jesus is on Facebook. The fact is the internet has swiftly become a new world for evangelization – for youth hungry for the faith this is important. As Pope Benedict said in his recent address for World Communications Day, “Dear Brothers and Sisters, I ask you to introduce into the culture of this new environment of communications and information technology the values on which you have built your lives.” Responding to this challenge, the Catholic Youth Ministry of St. Catherine of Siena in Vallejo, California, has relaunched their blog just in time for the start of Lent.
The blog, affectionately known as CYMvallejo, can be located at http://cymvallejo.blogspot.com and is a site dedicated to presenting and promoting the mission of the Church in a way that is appealing and accessible to the youth. At the blog the content has a wide range - you will find articles on Catholic apologetics, videos of breakdancing priests, and the latest in Catholic apparel. As an overview the blog provides Catholic content in the form of news, catechesis, media, reflection, and miscellaneous Catholic features.
One such feature is that of Patrick Arguelles, a seminarian, and contributor to CYMvallejo. His own Video Blog, commenced just a few days after the Pope launched his. When asked why the Internet can be a valuable tool for young Catholics, Arguelles responded, “In the face of constant pressure to use the Internet for not so wholesome purposes and to gain information at the touch of a button, Catholics need an escape from the culture of death, a place to form their faith and a chance to take ownership of what it means to be Catholic... all while enjoying cool banners and new features all for the unbelievably low price of 'a single click.' If only learning Latin was that easy.”
People all over the internet are stopping by to check out the features on CYMvallejo. A recent accounting had a visitor from Mexico searching for Marian wallpaper, and a visitor from New York reading a reflection on suffering. “The internet has proved to be a powerful tool in reaching the masses, especially young people of today. I often visit the CYM blog to stay updated on CYM events and also to remain informed on issues inside the Church. In this way, the CYM blog and other internet sites have helped formed my faith," Lorelei Alvarez, CYM alum, and President Emeritus, St. Vincent de Paul, UCLA.
Raj Derivera, another seminarian and webmaster for the blog had this to say, “If a youth visits this site for 15 minutes in between daily devotions to facebook and youtube, that is a 15 minute opportunity to present Christ to them.” In response to how this new electronic ministry reflects actual “real life” ministry, Derivera had this to say, “Nothing will ever compare to actual human interaction. We need people to go out their and actually be Christ to others. This blog doesn't change that. It is simply a resource to make a ministry easier – make the gospel message of Christ and His Church more accessible.” The Catholic Youth Ministry feels that this is a valuable element in ministry to youth today. As the Holy Father said, “These technologies are truly a gift to humanity and we must endeavour to ensure that the benefits they offer are put at the service of all human individuals and communities.”
The blog relaunches today, with updated navigation and features. You can visit it at http://cymvallejo.blogspot.com. For questions and/or comments you can e-mail cymvallejo@gmail.com or rajderivera@gmail.com .
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