I enjoy social media. I started out on Facebook when my daughter did a semester abroad in Australia. It was much easier to keep up with her that way given the time difference and not the best internet access. I quickly found friends and family members to connect with and I jumped in with posts and pictures on a regular basis. I’m an extrovert and so the prompt, “What’s on your mind?” is a perfect fit!
The more involved I became, the more I learned about using discretion on this site, especially with who was on my feed. There were some people who I removed from that category because the posts were a bit more revealing or colorful than I was comfortable with, especially since I have friends of all ages.
In addition to my personal page, I post and manage pages for the parish where I work, our local Cursillo community, and my son’s business page. While the topics may be different, the purpose is the same: to post things of interest to those who are a part of the community.
My personal page is an extension of who I am. It shows viewers how I spend my time, what books I read, who my friends are, and my beliefs. I make it a point to post not only fun but serious items as well. Yes, I take some of those silly quizzes, but I also post my favorite saint quotes, check in when I’m at a parish event be it Mass or something else, and share interesting sites about the faith.
A brief example: before Lent began my work inbox was full of once a day Lenten reflections to receive in your inbox. I posted them on Facebook and people were so appreciative to have this information. Those of us already connected to resources sometimes forget that the average Catholic may not have these connections.
I try to share something regarding the faith at least once a day. I also respond to other people’s posts, especially prayer requests, letting folks know that I am praying for them. Social media can be a great way to share our faith and make people open to learning to more. Why not give it try yourself this week?
Copyright © 2015, Deanna Bartalini
Deanna Bartalini
Deanna G. Bartalini, is a Catholic writer, speaker, and educator. She serves on the retreat team at Our Lady of Florida Spiritual Center. Deanna loves teaching about Catholicism and how it fits into our daily lives. She writes at DeannaBartalini.com, serves as the editor of the NewEvangelizers.com blog, and is a contributor there as well as at AmazingCatechists.com. Deanna contributed to A Catholic Mom's Prayer Companion published by Ave Maris Press. She is the author of “Invite the Holy Spirit into Your Life: Growing in Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self-Control” published by Our Sunday Visitor. Deanna is available to lead retreats and speak at catechist and ministry events.
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