Who's the bishop of the internet, where opinions reign?

I find it fascinating that Pope Leo XIV—the head of the Catholic Church, the Vicar of Christ, the Servant of the Servants of God—has a Wordle account, uses Duolingo, and even had a personal Twitter/X account. I follow my bishop, John McDermott of Burlington, on Facebook, where he posts what he's up to in the diocese. On occasion, he'll break out in song.

All that to say: The internet age has made all of us closer to each other, oftentimes in ways we don't expect. Intimacy is an essential part of being human. But now, we know everything about those we see online. What they like, where they are at the exact moment they post, even sometimes what they look like when they break down crying.

This is also a beautiful thing. The internet is a treasure trove of information and knowledge, as well as digital communities helping people to connect across the world. I personally love accessing various journal articles for research, and using Wikipedia to learn about various topics. The internet also helps me connect with my family, as we're spread across many countries and time zones. Having a shared group chat to update each other, even if we're many miles away, can make me feel closer to them.

However, the rise of the internet provides an interesting challenge for the Catholic Church, one that rivals the rise of knowledge that came with the arrival of the printing press. Anyone with a phone, ring light, and microphone can spread their message to potentially millions of people. They can speak confidently, persuasively, and still be completely wrong on the faith. They can ignore the teachings of Vatican II, even as Pope Leo calls it the “guiding light” of the Church. They can say St. Jacinta Marto stated that dressing immodestly is a mortal sin. Or, they can hear what a priest or bishop has to say on a subject and take his word as the final say for all believers.

The internet can become our own little diocese, with its own priests, bishops, and even beliefs. The faith is digitized, the poor are hashtags, and our works of mercy concern only whether we follow the latest Catholic influencer.

Now to be clear, this isn't me being annoyed that people are using the internet to grow in their faith. That would be hypocritical, considering my own spiritual journey. But it is so, so easy to get sucked into a digital world that doesn't exist, and rely on the words of distant Catholic commentators who are out of touch with the rest of the global Church.

So what is there to do? Do you delete all of your social media, become a hermit, and forget about the world outside of your house? Well, probably not, unless you want to become the next St. Simeon the Stylite—in which case you'd have to find a big pillar. 

Instead, you can start by finding trusted sources. The Catholic Church doesn't have its theology hidden in a private room in the Vatican. Papal encyclicals, council documents, and even the writings of saints can all be found online. Why bother with a three-hour podcast that is maybe 10% useful and the rest just traditional Catholics smoking dry cigars, when you can read, say, “Story of a Soul” by St. Thérèse of Lisieux? 

You can also participate in your local community, including through on-the-ground evangelization. I have mixed feelings about digital evangelists. One one hand, there is a need to proclaim the Gospel and be the body of Christ online. On the other hand, people are sometimes really, really bad at doing that. The digital world is inherently disembodied, and any form of evangelism should push people to stay grounded in the real world. Evangelism, especially the digital world, should focus on bringing people to the sacraments, to the poor, and ultimately to Christ. That’s not to say digital evangelists have it all wrong, but the official Catholic focus on embodiment of our faith should caution us from overvaluing digital outreach.

After all, the basis of any good evangelism is a strong relationship. You can't properly show people the Good News, and teach them what the Church says, with a 60-second video. If you have an inkling for digital ministry, it's important to discern whether God is calling you to be a witness in the actual communities you are a part of when you turn off your phone and the mini-microphone you got on Amazon. 

Ironically, though, that's where the internet can come in handy! Use it to better understand the culture you're already in. What are the spaces in your community that need help? Are there ministries already active that you can support? God doesn't call everyone to be digital content creators who only occasionally post videos that actually reflect Church teaching.

Most of us in America are close enough to an actual church, an actual community, in which God is already working. There is an abundance of literature and teachings from which we can learn what the Church truly espouses.

A final thing to be wary of is popular digital priests and bishops. Is Bishop Robert Barron, for example, a successor of the apostles who can make good points? Yes. Is the Dominicans' “Godsplaining” show all bad? No. Even so, it's easy for us to assume they have authority over us simply because of their clerical offices. In reality, though, they are bishops and priests in a specific place. Barron is the Bishop of Winona-Rochester, not the bishop of the internet. The friars who run “Godsplaining” are part of their order’s Province of St. Joseph. Technically speaking, the only person whose words apply to the entire Church is Pope Leo. If ever there were a Bishop of the Internet, it is the Bishop of Rome. 

We are a part of a global Church, and the Spirit has worked and moved through various cultures and histories, connecting us all under one baptism and one faith. But the issues that each diocese and country deal with vary widely. The internet seemingly breaks down these barriers, but at the same time raises the barriers of misinformation, coupled by algorithms fueling rage-bait and division.

So must you unfollow your favorite Catholic influencer? I don’t know; that’s up to you. Instead, perhaps you should consider putting off social media as a way to learn about Catholic teaching. It can be a good jumping-off point, but it truly hard to get the fullness of the faith from bite-sized content. 

Ultimately, the struggle is about building the skills to navigate the internet more effectively. Don't automatically take the words of one person as synonymous with what the Church teaches. Resist the urge to internalize the words of a podcast as the definitive voice of the laity, or any other group. 

And lastly, if you're interested in learning what it means to be a follower of Jesus, ask him yourself, look to the saints, and remember that you yourself are God’s beloved. In all things, we must always remember what Christ calls us to do: Love God and love others. If the podcasts, pages, or people you follow aren't making you do that, it's time to look elsewhere.

Tulio Huggins is a writer and Dartmouth College campus minister. You can follow his writing on substack and instagram at @tulioisreading.

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