The Use of the Internet and Digital Media by Indonesian Catholic Church: The Cases of Hierarchies Social Media Account and Lay Catholics Social Media Account

Abstract

The Internet is connecting people and organizations around the world in new ways, changing the way we relate to one another, find resources, share information, and form communities. These changes also have implications for church institutions and Catholics in Indonesia. This article provides an overview of the use of the Internet, social media, and digital media in the Catholic church. The study identifies (1) characteristics of social media accounts managed by the official hierarchy of the Catholic Church versus social accounts managed lay Catholics groups, (2) and the role of the Internet and social media in the Catholic church in Indonesia. This study concludes that Catholic Church accepts and has positive hopes for the presence of the Internet because it offers potential or opportunities for proclaiming the Catholic faith. The Covid-19 pandemic has brought fresh air to change the Indonesian Catholic Church to go digital. If before the Covid-19 pandemic, the catechesis was mostly carried out by hierarchies, the presence of the Internet and digital media allows ordinary people or Catholic laymen to actualize and implement the Catholic faith in the digital world. This study found that there were differences in the characteristics or approaches of the use of social media accounts managed by the official hierarchy of the Catholic Church and accounts managed by lay Catholic groups.