Social media and youth leaders within the Catholic Church : exploring the relationship in the Maltese context

Abstract

There are many concerns that nowadays, more than ever, youths are distancing themselves from the local Catholic Church. Youths are highly active social media users and find it difficult to communicate and interact via traditional, often conservative means. Despite the fact that the Church is showing considerable openness regards social media, some of its members still question the effectiveness of social media. There is a general belief that the use of social media causes youths to disregard or value less their interpersonal relationships. Others argue that social media provides a good way of establishing relationships and sustain offline ones, therefore it would be a pity not to utilise it. This dissertation includes a current research that shows how and why Maltese youth leaders use social media. There are several important findings that have salience for the local youth ministry. Apart from showing a growth in social media use by leaders, it demonstrates that the use of social media is being an effective means of communication as it amplifies relationships and sustains offline meetings. The study also sheds light on aspects that need to be addressed particularly the need for ethical guidelines and appropriate strategies vis-à-vis the use of social media.