43
‘GOOGLING GODSSRQ
Using modern means to spread a message
BustedHalo.com co-founder speaks about reaching young adults at First Friday Club program.
BOARDMAN — Mike Hayes, co-founder of BustedHalo.com, billed as an online magazine for spiritual seekers, said the Web site follows the example of Jesus by using the media of the time. And that’s just what churches and religious organizations must employ to reach out to young adults.
“Jesus used storytelling and itinerant preaching,” he said. Today, it’s Web sites, Facebook, YouTube, twittering, blogging, podcasts and whatever will come next in cyberspace. “It’s about extending use of the media ... continuing the message through modern means. It’s old truths in modern form.”
Hayes was guest speaker Thursday at the First Friday Club of Greater Youngstown during its monthly meeting at Antone’s Banquet Centre, 8578 Market St. His presentation was entitled, “Googling God: Religion and the Internet.”
Valerie D’Apolito, president, welcomed the group and Linda Miller, program committee, introduced the speaker.
BustedHalo.com’s mission statement addresses how people in their 20s and 30s are seeking a deeper spiritual meaning to their lives but shy away from religious institutions. Its name alludes to the fact that humans are “broken and dented” but are “banging out the dent.”
Hayes talked to the group about reaching and keeping young adults in their congregations. Hayes said he “does business” through Paulist Young Adult Ministries. BustedHalo.com notes this ministry is “to help young adults explore their spirituality, listen to and encourage one another, discover [or re-discover] the rich depths of Catholic tradition, and connect to communities of faith where their unique gifts will be respected and used, and where they will find support on their journey towards God.”
Hayes said to reach young adults, you have to understand them. He offered seven categories of those in the Millenials, born after 1980, and Generation X, born between 1964-79. He said Millenials have been impacted by events such as Columbine and 9-11 and Generation X were often latch-key children of divorce.
The categories:
UEclipse. They see spirituality as more important than a church but place more importance on family and work.
UEcumenical. For them, one religion is as good as another.
UPrivate sense of spirituality. It’s do-it- yourself for them. They like to pray by themselves to get a sense of a peace in a busy world.
UEvangelical. They have high energy in liturgy and great zeal for community. “They’re more Catholic than the pope,” Hayes said of this group. “But these are the people you want ... they take charge and have a lot of gifts.”
UProphetic. They want to spread the word and practices of Jesus in terms of social justice.
USacramental. They’re a combination of the private and evangelical. “They’re conservative. They’ve come to ‘get’ the sacrament and have a tangible experience,” Hayes said.
UCommunal. This group wants to know who else is involved before they make a decision to participate.
Though Hayes said he offered these descriptions about young adults, he cautioned that “they are more than one thing as far as technology goes.” He said some are collectors, who go online and participate in something; others are spectators, who dabble online; and others are inactive, they’re not online at all.
“BustedHalo research shows that young adults look for information then leave sites. They don’t stay around,” Hayes said.
He said the eclipse group “uses the Internet as collectors ... finding and holding on to information.” They subscribe to podcasts and like to get information daily. “For this group, if you’re not online, you don’t exist,” Hayes said. “The private group uses the anonymity of the Intermet.”
Hayes said it is imperative for churches and religious organizations with Web sites “to market them and share who they are by using technology.”
Hayes said BustedHalo.com offers Confession 101, which discusses the sacrament and why and when to go, via video. The site also offers practical information and exchange about interfaith weddings through a video. Subject tabs include sex and relationships, entertainment and lifestyle, politics and culture and religion and spirituality. There’s a box filled with comments, another segment on games and trendy reading.
“We want to get the information out in a nonthreatening way,” Hayes said.
He said the online retreats are popular. “It functions like a small Christian community and people share comments.”
Hayes suggested to pastors to “put your homilies on podcasts” so that young adults can “try out” the church anonymously. “Podcasts also can refresh what was said on Sunday,” Hayes said of others using this device.
Hayes said the SacredSpace Web site has been very successful in getting people “to pray at their desktops. “It’s 10 minutes online,” he said.
Hayes said it was vital that churches “invite people in and show them what’s great about the community.” “A direct invitation to attend Mass is important,” he said. He said the Internet allows churches “to be part of a network.”
Hayes said BustedHalo.com gets about 2,000 hits a daily. The Web site engages visitors with an array of offerings and interchange.
Hayes said that the heart of Catholicism, the Eucharist, is what brings back lapsed Catholics and interests converts. He said the substance and depth of Catholic rituals “speak to” young adults.
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Position: Managing editor of BustedHalo.com. He co-founded the Web site with the Rev. Brett Hoover in December 2001. The Rev. Dave Dwyer is now director.
Author: Wrote “Googling God: The Religious Landscape of People in their 20s and 30s” with Paulist Press.
On board: President of the board of directors for the National Catholic Young Adult Ministry Association.
Award: He received a Catholic Press Association Award for his article “Transformation and the 20’s and 30’s Crowd” that appeared in Share the Word magazine.
Personal: Before working in ministry, Hayes produced radio talk shows at WFAN and WOR in New York and also covered major league baseball for NPR and WOR. He and his wife, Marion, are residents of Queens, N.Y.