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Mastering technology - 'parish' the thought
Posted Online: June 20, 2009, 12:00 am
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By Rita Pearson, rpearson@qconline.com
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When it comes to technology, church ministers can "ignore it, fight it or master it," a Catholic youth and young adult minister told parish religious education directors earlier this month in Davenport. "Technology is like fire," said Chris Weber, 30, keynote speaker at the June 11 Davenport Diocese summer institute at Assumption High School. "Learn to master it, it will serve you well," he said. "Ignore it, you're going to get burned." Jesus Christ would blog, share His parables over the Internet and podcast if He were here today, Mr. Weber said. Christians are expected to use whatever communication tools are available to spread His message, he said. Youth ministers, however, also have a responsibility to help young people learn how to exist without it, he said. Technology is a tool for communication, not a substitute for building relationships, said Mr. Weber, of the Muscatine Catholic community. About 40 people attended the "Ministry 2.0: Embracing Technology to Spread the Good News'' presentation. Technology affects youth in the 12- to 15-year-old range and beyond. The ''Net Generation'' will turn 11 to 31 years old in 2009, he said. They will spend 30,000 hours online and playing video games by the time many of them turn 20, he said. It's increasingly important for adults to set boundaries and safeguards for their young people and parishes, especially since the lines between reality and imagination have grown even more blurred due to recent software developments such as XBox 360s ''Project Natal,'' in which a virtual person reacts to a player's expressions, he said Adults must help teens deal with their new-found power after they've created a video and shared it with people all over the world. Such power affects how they relate to their peers and to adults, Mr. Weber said. The Internet has broad personal development implications, too. Data indicates more girls than boys blog and send out photos over the Internet, while more boys than girls download videos online. Girls tend to develop their self-worth on the Internet and use it like an online diary, Mr. Weber said. Yet, tech-savvy teens have put in more safeguards to restrict access when they post certain messages or photos on their MySpace or Facebook social networking sites. Mr. Weber does not ban cell-phone or smart-phone use during religious education classes or youth group meetings. However, he strongly recommends using e-mails, text messaging and Twitters, instead. He also uses YouTube video clips to introduce discussion topics and sends e-mails and text messages as program reminders or reflection points. Seminar attendees identified certain barriers to using digital technology in parish ministry. Among them were the rapidity of changing technology, limited money and a question of effectiveness in teaching adults and children through technology. If a parish has limited resources, Mr. Weber recommended buying a laptop and a liquid crystal display (LCD) television screen. There's so much educators can do with those two items, he said. He also recommended parishes plan on upgrading their computers every three to five years to keep up with changing software. Another good investment is a mobile smart board. Parishes could apply for community grants from area foundations, the Scott County Regional Authority or the Riverboat Development Authority to help afford technology, said Mary Wieser, diocesan faith formation and education director and schools superintendent. DIocesan interest in technology led to this annual summer institute's topic, said Pat Finan, faith formation and youth ministry coordinator. "While there is a certain mindset that technology is a danger, we prefer to be more pro-active,'' he said, especially if you can't ignore it or fight it. 
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