A Recent Study Shows Some Startling Data Regarding Catholic Internet Sites

Some rather sobering, even shocking data is available over at the CARA (Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate) blog. The data stunningly refutes the claim that the way to reach young Catholics is via the Internet. I must say I was more and more startled as I read the data, thinking, “This can’t be so.” But the bottom line seems that if you are a Catholic, reading this or other Catholic blogs for information or encouragement about your faith, you are a very rare bird. If you are under 30, and reading Catholic blogs and news sites, you are the rarest of birds.

Let’s look at the data. The text from the CARA report is in bold black italics, my comments are plain text red. The full CARA post is here: CARA on New Media

Millennial Catholics (born after 1981) represent about one in five adult Catholics (19%) and….are sometimes described as the digital or new media generation. Many in the Church assume that the way to connect with this emergent generation of Catholics is not through traditional print media, television, or radio, but online—through blogs, Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter accessed on smart phones, tablets, and e-readers. The hope is often stated that we may be able to use new media to get this generation “back into the real world pews” that are more often populated by their parents and grandparents.

Yes, this is surely the premise in every discussion I have had, with anyone who has an opinion, and it is surely my own. It is widely assumed that within ten years paper books as we know them are going away, Catholic newspapers will all but disappear, and all Catholics will contribute their money to the parish electronically. The basic premise is that we are at the end of an era, and that many such things are simply going to disappear as younger people take their place. But not so fast, says the data. The landscape is a bit more complicated and pace of change less like lightening and more like a slow walk.

The Catholic Press Association (CPA) of the United States and Canada recently commissioned CARA to conduct a national poll of adult Catholics to measure their media use. CARA partnered with Knowledge Networks to conduct the survey in May and June 2011. The survey was completed by 1,239 self-identified Catholics who were 18 years of age or older (resulting in a sampling margin of error of ±2.8 percentage points)….. 1200 is a pretty normal sample size.

The findings from these studies suggest that the emerging picture for new media use by Catholic adults overall—and especially among the Millennials is not as promising as many hope or assume. The problem is…the Internet is a much more vast space and is navigated by search and social network….You likely won’t even get it on their computer screen or iPhone unless they are interested in it and looking for it.

It’s the same lesson we have to learn in evangelization. The “build it and they will come” days are over. We have to open our Church doors and go out and meet and engage people, not just hope they will come. We have to be in this work for the long haul, and realize that relationships, and connections are just as important, as spiffy content. Developing interest is more the key than simply being “out there” with jazzy stuff.

First, the study shows that only a slight majority of Catholics (52%) pay “a great deal” or “quite a bit” of attention to national news….In the new media age, they don’t have to. Thirty years ago many had only over-air television reception with three networks, and local radio and newspapers to choose from. The news was an inescapable part of the broadcast. With the development of cable television, satellite radio, the Internet, e-readers, etc. the content available to most has now expanded exponentially. In this new media environment, many have “narrowcasted” themselves into their interests—whatever these may be—and have largely tuned out the world that is not of their immediate interest. Entertainment has often trumped news, information, or other content when making these choices. Attention to news is lowest among young Catholics.

I wrote an article here at this blog on this very topic almost two years ago: Living in a Self Selected Universe. A paradoxical effect of the “global communication age” is that many people increasing set up their own world to live in. Shared experience is becoming more and more rare. Most people I know NEVER watch the news anymore, unless something shocking has happened. Otherwise they listen to music, have a steady diet of sports, or watch their favorite shows, and check in on only a very highly selective set of Internet sites that suit their pre-programmed interests. So, while more of everything is available, less is actually consumed or experienced, that’s the paradox.

What about use of religious and spiritual content?….When it comes to Catholicism, more often than not, traditional media still have a much broader reach in a “new media” age. Despite what conventional wisdom or anecdote may suggest, Millennials do not overwhelmingly prefer reading content online compared to print. A third of these respondents indicate a preference for online content (32%), while another third prefers reading print (33%). Thirty-five percent do not have a preference either way.

And here is a really big surprise. I am not surprised that younger Catholics do not read or view, a lot of Catholic content. We have to work on that. But I AM surprised that those who do, show no substantially higher preference for “new media.” In fact it would seem that more are content to make use of traditional printed media. I am still convinced that the number preferring new media will continue to grow, but am most surprised it is not far higher.

While 22% of adult Millennial Catholics have read a print copy of their diocesan newspaper in the last three months (compared to 26% of all adult Catholics) only 4% of those in this generation have sought this out and read it online. Seventy percent of Millennials have no awareness of any of the major national print Catholic magazines and newspapers. Only one title, Catholic Digest, garners more than 7 percent awareness among Catholics under 30 and this publication has among the lowest web traffic of any title listed, 423 visitors per day at the time of this post.

And here is double bad news. Not only do most Catholics not read or view Catholic materials, but having them in the “new” format has not helped. The bottom line remains that most Catholics are simply not that interested in what their Church or the faith teaches or offers. Secularism is very deep among even “pew sitters” it would seem, many of whom check off the “God-box” on Sunday and have little recourse or interest in their faith otherwise. Rare indeed, are those who go to Mass these days (27%) and rarer still are those who invest time in the faith and what the Church offers later in the week.

This disinterest in Catholic media also means that most Catholics who do hear about the Church, hear it through a secular and usually hostile media or format. That breads another whole set of problems.

Of those Catholics who do read religious or spiritual content, most are doing so in print, not online. Catholics are also more likely to watch religious or spiritual video content on television than online and to listen to religious or spiritual audio over the radio or on a CD than in online podcasts. Fascinating. I am feeling very odd and “different” right now.

Of the new media offerings, Millennials are generally no more likely (accounting for margin of error) than older Catholics to say they have done anything online or through the use of e-readers related to religion or spiritually.

I have sensed this for a while now too, that the so-called age gap is mistaken, and that most of my readers, and those who listen to my Podcasts, are closer to me in age (I am 50) and that those who are much younger, may be out on the Internet, but not at Catholic sites, or sites like mine. Frankly the same is true of my more than 4,000 Facebook friends. The majority are closer to me in age.

The news on YouTube is not much better….the Vatican’s channel ranks #3,562 on YouTube in video’s viewed globally…..Search for any video including a “Catholic” reference and sort by “most views.” But be very cautious as there is a vast amount of offensive content (with many, many views) and you’ll find much of it to be designed for entertainment rather than anything informational, educational, or devotional.

Yes, it really is a terrible experience to search on YouTube for anything Catholic. Some of the most hateful, anti-Catholic stuff is out there. Some of it is semi-pornographic or just plain lewd. It seems there are a lot of people on YouTube who really, I mean really, hate the Catholic Church. I also have a YouTube page and I get some of the most hateful comments on very innocent videos I post. YouTube is a real “wild west” kind of environment and it is very clear that anti-Catholic videos are far more popular than videos which celebrate or promote the Faith. Sad, really.

The current discourse surrounding Catholic new media is often very rosy and optimistic. The data just do not match this conversation—yet. There certainly is no shortage of very successful Catholic blogs with significant followings…But these typically do not reach audiences to where they would be considered mass media. The survey results indicate that only 6% of Catholic adults (and 8% of Millennials) read a religious or spiritual blog in the three months prior to being surveyed. But what can be concluded is that creating content for new media does not mean people will use it. The era of broadcasting is over. In a narrowcasted world, people have to be aware of and want to visit and use your content. Right now not enough Catholics seem interested or aware. Pretty straight-forward and cogent conclusion!

Although Millennial Catholics are using new media frequently, they have yet to use it for religion and spirituality in any great number. Will they ever? How can this be achieved? Those are unanswered and difficult questions for now. Is it the content? Is it the crowded media environment? Is it a culture consumed by pop media and entertainment? Is it secularization? This study generated just as many questions as it did answers. New media will require new research and a new understanding.

I am interested in what you think, and especially your answer to some of the questions raised here at the end.

Yes, if you are reading this blog or other Catholic sites, you are WAY above average

Yes, you are a rare bird. Please keep reading and encourage others to read Catholic sites. Otherwise, most of what they get is through hostile and secular sources. Many of the bigoted, and hateful anti-Catholic YouTube videos have millions of views. Many pro-Catholic videos are luck to break 5000 views. Do the math, and once again we realize, it’s not a new medium that’s going to spread the faith alone. It’s evangelization, pure and simple. Tell someone about the Lord and the faith, and draw them to the sites that will nourish their faith. It’s old fashioned, one to one, person to person, word of mouth Evangelization that wins the day in the end.

Here’s an example of old fashioned evangelization. It does not exclude the new media, just ensures its success. - (Click on link and scroll down to the video).

What is sorrowful is that the competent converts from Protestant backgrounds are under utilized. Protestants are lit on fire solely by the Word from Sunday sermons alone, given by their pastors who are also on fire during those sermons, and their youth groups are more than just perfunctory and engaging, rather they are heart driven and life changing because their leaders are not facilitors but are also on fire for the Lord. They beg for the Holy Spirit. They learn Sacred Scripture by heart in near whole passages and LOVE it. No one wants to leave church on Sunday, and many don’t, but remain behind in prayer with friends and strangers alike. There faith is an image of a dedicated heart for Jesus and yet they have a fraction of the breadth and depth of the true Faith and the true Church. We Catholics try to drum that “yukky emotion” out of them as soon as possible, selling knowledge as a replacement and a committee approach to all things holy. We are dying here and no change on our approach in sight on the horizon.

We go to Mass to worship the Lord and to recieve His grace in the Sacrament of the Most Holy Eucharist.

We should be vigilant to ensure that stirring up emotion is not the goal of worship and that we don’t equate worship with an emotional high.

By making emotion the hallmark of Mass, we demean the entire act of worship that the Mass is meant to be, and we train people to think of Mass as a form of entertainment or spiritual pep rally.

While Mass can be uplifting, we should know that when it disappoints, it is ALWAYS our own fault (assuming the Mass follows the rubrics).

Mass with no music at all and with a foreign priest whose accent makes his words unintelligible is a treasure - and people who have been trained to expect stimulating entertainment will never see it as such.

Of course I am NOT saying that we can’t present the faith to the underchurched and unchurched in an interesting way. But the Church can’t be based in any way on a permanent spiritual high. Christian life is a drama - and much of that drama is suffering, just as much of the drama is joy. The joy we have is a hope in eternity with God face to face. The foretastes we are given are tiny fleeting morsels - not lavish permanent meals.

” We should be vigilant to ensure that stirring up emotion is not the goal of worship and that we don’t equate worship with an emotional high. “ <<<

I certainly agree with you on the bounds of the Most Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, the context, the conduct and the “goal”. However, an “emotional high” is unavoidable in worship. The definition of the word “worship” speaks for itself.

Love is quite emotional, when not perfunctory and mundane. The difference is worthy of rethinking. The Apostles could not have been martyrs devoid of that emotional high, nor in the absence of emotion in their Love. We were not there following the Crucifixtion to see the early Church exhibit high emotion and Love’s emotion when they broke the True Bread and receieved the True Wine, Body and Blood, but it was surely not as observed in the American celebration of the Mass and its homily. God forbid.

....the bottom line seems that if you are a Catholic, reading this or other Catholic blogs for information or encouragement about your faith, you are a very rare bird. If you are under 30, and reading Catholic blogs and news sites, you are the rarest of birds....You likely won’t even get it on their computer screen or iPhone unless they are interested in it and looking for it....

....While 22% of adult Millennial Catholics have read a print copy of their diocesan newspaper in the last three months (compared to 26% of all adult Catholics) only 4% of those in this generation have sought this out and read it online. Seventy percent of Millennials have no awareness of any of the major national print Catholic magazines and newspapers. Only one title, Catholic Digest, garners more than 7 percent awareness among Catholics under 30 and this publication has among the lowest web traffic of any title listed, 423 visitors per day at the time of this post....

Ping for later

I meant, please, to emphasize the use of COMPETENT converts, and to clarify their restriction to venues in the Church which are outside of the Mass. I was thinking in terms of the Stephen Rays’ and the Patrick Madrids’, and Scott Hahns’, who actually produce other converts. Their enthusiasm evokes the deeper desire for KNOWLEDGE and feeds the hungry. The Mass is not a tool for evangelization, but for the evangelized. The priest is seen for who he is and I believe emotion and Love is a fruit of the Spirit, visible to all and therefore the priest who is in a proper state of true worship in his celebration is seen by all.

“I was thinking in terms of the Stephen Rays’ and the Patrick Madrids’, and Scott Hahns’, who actually produce other converts.”

All it simply means is to use converts where their talents in the spirit lie. Some are great at writing and expressing ideas so that they can be grasped by others.

Others may be great at helping people when they need assistance and being there for them and loving them. There are many different ways to God.

For me, it was a very nice young woman who provoked me enough and wouldn’t leave me alone till I joined. :) I’m very thankful for her and I miss her.

I am all for acknowledging the emotion that is part of who we are, and a large part of our journey with Christ.

In fact, the apostolate that does the most for me actually focuses on that (it is the very same apostolate that Pope Benedict XVI participates in privately within his own “family” household at the Vatican). It is called “Communion and Liberation” (CL). BTW, CL has nothing whatsoever to do with liberation theology.

http://www.clonline.org/

CL is a huge movement that until recently has not been that popular in the USA. It is for adolescents and adults.

The following is an excerpt from a letter Pope John Paul II addressed to the founder of CL, Monsignor Luigi Giussani, on the 20th anniversary of pontifical recognition of the movement CL:

“As I go back in memory over the life and works of the Fraternity and the Movement, the first aspect that strikes me is the commitment you have put into listening to the needs of today’s man. Man never stops seeking: both when he is marked by the drama of violence, loneliness, and insignificance, and when he lives in serenity and joy, he continues to seek. The only answer which can satisfy him and appease this search of his comes from the encounter with the One who is at the source of his being and his action. The Movement, therefore, has chosen and chooses to indicate not a road, but the road toward a solution to this existential drama. The road, as you have affirmed so many times, is Christ. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, who reaches the person in his day-to-day existence. The discovery of this road normally comes about through the mediation of other human beings. Marked through the gift of faith by the encounter with the Redeemer, believers are called to become an echo of the event of Christ, to become themselves an “event”. Christianity, even before being a sum of doctrines or a rule for salvation, is thus the “event” of an encounter. This is the insight and experience that you have transmitted in these years to so many persons who have adhered to the Movement. Communion and Liberation, more than offering new things, aims at helping people rediscover the Tradition and history of the Church, in order to express this in ways capable of speaking to and engaging the men of our time. In my Message to the Participants in the World Congress of Ecclesial Movements and New Communities on May 27, 1998, I wrote that the originality of the charism of each movement “does not claim, nor could it, to add anything to the richness of the depositum fidei, safeguarded by the Church with impassioned fidelity” (no. 4). Yet this originality “constitutes a powerful support, a suggestive and persuasive reminder to live the Christian experience to the full, with intelligence and creativity. Herein lies the premise for finding adequate answers to the challenges and urges of the times and ever-changing historical circumstances” (ibid).”

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