“Did St. Dominic really exist?” a priest asked our congregation during his homily on the feast of St. Dominic, Aug. 8.
I thought to myself that I don’t actually know much about the founder of the Dominicans, especially in deciphering fact from fiction in his life. The priest went on.
“For being the founder of such a famous order, we know surprisingly little about Dominic himself. We know plenty about St. Francis of Assisi, St. Benedict, Mother Teresa of Calcutta, but Dominic? Crickets. Yet, we know a great deal about his followers: St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Catherine of Siena, St. Martin de Porres, St. Louis de Montfort. Many of them became even more famous than Dominic himself.”
That reflection made me think about influencer culture today, especially in Catholic social media culture. Are influencers seeking to help their followers grow holier and even greater than themselves? Or are they climbing ladders of fame, prestige, and income?
John the Baptist understood this. When people told him that Jesus was drawing more followers than he, John didn’t compete. He rejoiced. “He must increase; I must decrease” (John 3:30). John’s mission was not to make himself a star, but to point all eyes to the Bridegroom.
The dilemma facing Catholics today is the same: Are influencers forming disciples who outgrow them in holiness, or are they building audiences who consume content but remain unchanged?
On the surface, Catholic internet celebrities seem to have added to the revival of faith in our time. Many digital evangelists create spiritually nourishing content that reaches those on the margins or who have become distanced from the faith. Their platforms foster community and provide catechetical teaching that is otherwise hard to access.
Still, there are serious concerns with the influencer model. Social media fosters passive consumption rather than active discipleship. It encourages celebrity culture, where the title “influencer” is used instead of “minister.” Even the Vatican has embraced the shift, recently hosting the Jubilee of Digital Missionaries and Catholic Influencers. This signals how deeply this cultural model has taken root, and raises the question of whether we are shaping the culture or letting the culture shape us.
Moreover, social media often shows an incomplete picture of faith. Living the Gospel doesn’t require cameras or podcasts; it requires fidelity when no one is watching. And it is precisely here, in the unseen and unshared moments, that many beloved influencers have stumbled.
However, there are those who model a better way. Many Black Catholic creators are already showing how influence can be rooted in humility and discipleship. Gloria Purvis uses her media platform to engage tough cultural issues through the lens of the Good News. Fr. Josh Johnson, host of the “Ask Father Josh” podcast, speaks with joy and charity, modeling authentic priesthood. Chika Anyanwu travels the country as a Catholic evangelist, sharing her story and leading others into a personal relationship with Jesus.
The word “influencer” comes from the Latin influens, meaning “flowing into.” That’s exactly what we as Catholics are called to do: let God’s grace flow into others, ultimately making him the biggest star, best seen through them.
If one of the avenues by which you can best do that is a TikTok reel, podcast, Instagram story, or article—do it! But do it in the vein of St. Dominic and St. John the Baptist. Do it in the mindset of Christ and for Christ. Because in the end, all true evangelization must echo the words of the priest at the altar:
“Through him, with him, and in him, O God, almighty Father, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honor is yours, forever and ever”.
The people who did that the best and influenced the Church the most were the saints. So let’s pray to them for their intercession, asking for wisdom about how to better evangelize the world on and offline.
Joseph Peach is a Catholic author, freelance writer, and speaker. He serves as the youth minister at St. Hilary Catholic Church in Fairlawn, Ohio, and has published seven books.
