Today, we celebrate the feast of St. Francis Xavier, the patron saint of missionaries. Since the Internet has developed into a popular and nearly indispensable part of modern life, missionary endeavours have taken on a new dimension. I happen to know of a priest in Hong Kong, Rev. Fr. Giovanni Giampietro, PIME (恩保德神父), who runs an Online School of Evangelization, reaching people who speak Chinese, Putonghua and English. This is a concrete way to put the advice of St. Paul into action.
I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some (1 Corinthians 9:22b).
The Internet is very popular nowadays. Many people, especially the youngsters, spend a considerable amount of time on the Internet. Therefore, we should make the gospel message available for them.
I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some (1 Corinthians 9:22b).
The Internet is very popular nowadays. Many people, especially the youngsters, spend a considerable amount of time on the Internet. Therefore, we should make the gospel message available for them.
Perhaps it is too early to claim that the Internet is a fertile ground for evangelization.
First of all, some groups of people are excluded. They are the poor who cannot afford a computer. They are the senior citizens who are too old to pick up the computer skills. They are people living behind the firewall which censors information the government deems inappropriate.
Secondly, there are a lot of noises competing with the truth we champion. There are a lot of hoaxes and Internet crimes. The Internet is not quite as friendly as one may think.
Thirdly, the Internet surfers must have already attained a considerable level of education. They must have already built up a certain worldview which might not be easily changed and might not be sympathetic with Christianity. Therefore, the Internet surfers are less likely to be converted to believe in the salvation of the Lord.
Lastly, at the end of the day, the "students" of this evangelization school have to attend face-to-face catechumen classes somewhere. No technology can replace human interaction and communion. Therefore, what is the use to duplicate the evangelization effort?
However, since the Internet is a new turf and is strategically important. The Church cannot afford to allow the Internet to develop into an anti-Christianity bulwark. She needs to put up some bridgeheads there.
First of all, some groups of people are excluded. They are the poor who cannot afford a computer. They are the senior citizens who are too old to pick up the computer skills. They are people living behind the firewall which censors information the government deems inappropriate.
Secondly, there are a lot of noises competing with the truth we champion. There are a lot of hoaxes and Internet crimes. The Internet is not quite as friendly as one may think.
Thirdly, the Internet surfers must have already attained a considerable level of education. They must have already built up a certain worldview which might not be easily changed and might not be sympathetic with Christianity. Therefore, the Internet surfers are less likely to be converted to believe in the salvation of the Lord.
Lastly, at the end of the day, the "students" of this evangelization school have to attend face-to-face catechumen classes somewhere. No technology can replace human interaction and communion. Therefore, what is the use to duplicate the evangelization effort?
However, since the Internet is a new turf and is strategically important. The Church cannot afford to allow the Internet to develop into an anti-Christianity bulwark. She needs to put up some bridgeheads there.
St. Paul set an ideal for us to pursue but it remains an ideal. Just imagine. Your target group is the alcoholic/drug addicts/homosexuals. How can we gain their trust, win some of them over, without giving up our own morality? If I have not misunderstood St. Paul, he insists that we stick to the law of Christ, to the moral theology and the teachings of the Church, even when we try to mix with people who do not observe the law. We should not bend the law to make them happy. It is not easy but it is not impossible.
To those outside the law I became as one outside the law -- not being without law toward God but under the law of Christ -- that I might win those outside the law (1 Corinthians 9:21).
To those outside the law I became as one outside the law -- not being without law toward God but under the law of Christ -- that I might win those outside the law (1 Corinthians 9:21).
Dear Lord, on this feast day of St. Francis, I thank You for sending St. Francis Xavier to China. Have mercy on us Chinese so that we do not insist on the superiority of our culture and open our hearts towards Your love. Amen.
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