CBCP Episcopal Commission on Social Communications Chairman Bishop Marcelino Antonio Maralit during the 12th Catholic Social Media Summit in Mandaue City, Cebu on Dec. 3, 2023. (Photo from Jay Mangussad/CBCP News)
MANILA, Philippines — A congregation of digital disciples may soon take shape in cyberspace.
A Catholic bishop announced a plan to organize a “community of faith” composed of Catholic online influencers, vloggers, and other social media personalities.
Boac Bishop Marcelino Antonio Maralit, as quoted by the Catholic Bishop Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) in a press statement on Thursday, said the plan aims to strengthen collaboration among “digital missionaries.”
“And maybe to encourage and inspire each other, and to help in amplifying the message,” Maralit added.
According to the CBCP, the bishop made the statement during the 12th Catholic Social Media Summit in Mandaue City, Cebu last Dec. 2 and 3.
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“We are coming into this as a community of faith, a community of God, and a community of charity,” he said.
Maralit is the chairman of its Episcopal Commission on Social Communications, the CBCP noted.
Still citing the bishop during a press briefing, the CBCP said there is a plan to establish a “kind of code of ethics” for Catholic social media content creators.
According to Maralit, the current practice of content producing online seems to follow the “you do yours, I do mine” mentality.
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He then suggested putting up a Catholic social media network.
“So what do we bring here? My suggestion is to put up a Catholic social media network,” Maralit said.
The bishop was among the speakers at the summit, the CBCP said.
Organized by “online missionaries” called “YouthPinoy,” the CBCP said the summit’s theme was “Hybrid: Create, Collab, Commune.”
It was in partnership with the Cebu Archdiocesan Digital Communications.