"Recruiting tomorrow’s priests and religious through the internet"

From Catholic Online

BERWYN, IL (MARCH 11, 2009)- When it comes to finding youth who will become tomorrow’s Catholic priests, brothers and sisters, things have moved to the internet.

Eighty percent of new vocations now come from the internet, a vocations director of a major men’s religious said recently at the annual Here I Am Lord youth conference this past weekend in St. Charles, IL.

Hundreds of youth converged March 6 – 8 at St. Patrick’s Catholic parish in this western Chicago suburb to hear top Catholic speakers and musicians help youth find their calling in life, whether it be marriage, the single life (single life is not a vocation officially recognized [liturgically] by the Church - Consecrated Virginity is), or a religious calling.

Among priests and sisters staffing the booths, some were very experienced in using websites, enewsletters and online advertising, while others were just getting their feet wet, perhaps feeling a little behind in things.

“I know I have to learn about these things,” one priest said. He knew how to use a word processing program, but that was about it. Kevin Banet, TreeFrogClick president, was happy to explain to him about enewsletters, and how the popular social media site, Facebook works.

Once a person signs up with Facebook as a member, which is free, one can invite others to become a friend. When they agree to accept the invitation, they can see one's profile and what other friends have written on the profile “wall.”

A religious brother at the conference said, “When I get an email from someone on Facebook asking me to be their friend, I naturally assume that it is because they are interested in a vocation. So I say yes.”

Promotion is all about relationships, and the internet helps greatly. It is something that is not easy, but it takes knowledge, experience and persistence.