Faith & Media Ministry

The pandemic has challenged many of us to adapt to a new way of living. These days many of us find ourselves more adapt to technology because at the drop of a hat, we all had to learn to work from home, telecommunicate and access livestreams for special events and Masses. Many parishes adapted quickly to live streaming. Most started by using a phone or tablet and Facebook live. That eventually evolved to camera equipment that streams to multiple platforms.

We are many months into the pandemic and watching live streamed masses is still a reality for many parishioners. As we fight to slow the spread of COVID-19, it will continue to be a reality for many. The question now lies: how do parishes ensure a quality live streamed mass for all, so that parishioners can have an intimate and fulfilling experience while watching Mass?

St. Bernard’s in Tracy has acknowledged this new reality by forming their Faith & Media Ministry. “With the help of other parish employees, we have been running the livestream for mass and it is a lot of work,” says Mikayla Anderson, St. Bernard’s Director of Evangelization. “We figured why not call on the techies within the parish and utilize their gifts and talents”. Since the announcement of the new ministry a few weeks ago, there’s been a handful of people to sign up. Half of the people currently in the ministry are under the age of 20. St Bernard’s hopes that this ministry will attract many young parishioners who grew up with technology and are comfortable around it, but the ministry is also attracting some tech veterans who work in Silicon Valley. St. Bernard’s has even taken live streaming to the next level by adding live-host chats on their streams. “We not only need people to help run the cameras, but we also need people to interact with parishioners during the live stream,” says Anderson. “We found that people were commenting for prayer intentions among other things during the livestream and we want to add to their experience by having someone there to respond to the comments.”    

As time and technology progress and the pandemic starts to lessen, the Faith and Media ministry will continue to evolve. “We need to make the best possible use of modern technology in order to do effective evangelization,” says Msgr. Richard Ryan, Vicar General for the Diocese of Stockton. “If the church is to survive and grow, more effective outreach to the churched and unchurched is essential.” In addition to being the Vicar General, Msgr. Ryan also sits on the Diocesan Information Technology board. The board was constructed in an effort to assess the technology needs at the Pastoral Center and throughout the diocese.