Are Selfies the answer to engaging the next generation in faith?

By Kristy Solis

Recently at Mass, we had a visiting priest, who is currently serving as a papal missionary.

During his sermon, the papal missionary spoke of taking a selfie with the Pope. It was the word selfie, which engaged my daughters and other children throughout the sermon, even though the selfie was not the message of the sermon. The message was God is with each and every one of us.

Selfies tend to have a negative connotation; however, God views our hearts and our intentions.

In this instance, the selfie was part of the storytelling of the priest’s mission. If we do not engage children in faith, he said, they miss the importance of the message withheld in each sermon.

My daughters were so moved, that they participated loudly and proudly in Mass. At the end of Mass, the priest recognized my oldest daughter in front of the congregation – since he could hear her saying all of the prayers and singing every song, even over the covering of her mask.

Guess what the priest did? He took a selfie with my daughter for Pope Francis.

This is a reminder, as parents we need to recognize and praise our children when our children are moved in faith.

Consequently, the most rewarding part of the night was when we left Mass. My daughter exclaimed, “I want to come back to church tomorrow and Tuesday to participate in the mission services.”

Lord, hear our prayers as parents, to engage the next generation in faith, we must speak their language and we must relate it to faith. God’s will be with them, “Teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20).