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Time of India
20 hours ago
- Time of India
Vatican embraces social media 'digital missionaries'
Sister Albertine , a youthful French Catholic nun, stood outside the Vatican, phone in hand, ready to shoot more videos for her hundreds of thousands of followers online. The 29-year-old nun, whose secular name is Albertine Debacker, is one of hundreds of Catholic influencers in Rome for a Vatican-organised social media summit this week. The Vatican calls them " digital missionaries " and -- in an unprecedented move for the centuries-old institution -- Pope Leo XIV led a mass dedicated to them at St Peter's Basilica, calling on them to create content for those who "need to know the Lord". Long wary of social media, the Catholic Church now sees it as a vital tool to spread the faith amid dwindling church attendance. For Sister Albertine, this is the ideal "missionary terrain". Inside the Baroque basilica, she was one of a swarm of religious influencers who surrounded the new pope, live streaming the meeting on their smartphones within one of Christianity's most sacred spots. She said it was highly symbolic that the Vatican organised the event bringing together its Instagramming-disciples. "It tells us: 'it's important, go for it, we're with you and we'll search together how we can take this new evangelisation forward," she told AFP. The influencer summit was held as part of the Vatican's " Jubilee of Youth ", as young believers flooded Rome this week. - 'The great influencer is God' - Sister Albertine has 320,000 followers on Instagram and some of her TikTok videos get more than a million views. She shares a mix of prayers with episodes from daily religious life, often from French abbeys. "You feel alone and I suggest that we can pray together," she said in one video, crossing herself. But, as religious content spreads online in the social media and AI era, one of the reasons behind the Vatican's summit was for it to express its position on the trend. "You are not only influencers, you are missionaries," influential Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle -- one of the few Vatican officials active on social media - told those attending mass. The "great influencer is God", he added. - 'Jesus not a digital programme' - But Tagle also warned that "Jesus is not a voice generated by a digital programme". Pope Leo called on his online followers to strike a balance at a time when society is "hyperconnected" and "bombarded with images, sometimes false or distorted". "It is not simply a matter of generating content, but of creating an encounter between hearts," said the American pope, 69. It is this balance that has been hard to strike, with some Catholic clerics themselves embracing a social media presence. Father Giuseppe Fusari does not look like a regular priest: wearing tight shirts exposing his arm tattoos. To his 63,000 followers on Instagram, he mixes content about Italian church architecture and preaching. - 'Important we're online too' - Fusari told AFP there is no reason Catholic clerics should not embrace the world of online videos. "Everyone uses social media, so it's important that we're there too," said Fusari, who came to Rome for the influencer event from the northern city of Brescia. Fusari said his goal was to reach as many people as possible online, sharing the "word of God" with them. This also takes the form of sharing videos of his chihuahua eating spaghetti. But priests and nuns are not the only ones trying to attract people to the Church online, with regular believers spreading the faith too. Francesca Parisi, a 31-year-old Italian teacher, joined the Catholic Church later in life. She now has some 20,000 followers on TikTok, where she tries to make the Catholic faith look trendy. Her target audience? People who have "drifted away" from the church. It's possible, she said, to lure them back through their smartphones. "If God did it with me, rest assured, he can also do it with you."
News18
a day ago
- News18
Khloe Kardashian On Why She ‘Chose' To Take Care Of Ex Tristan Thompson's Brother Amari
According to Khloe Kardashian, Tristan Thompson's NBA schedule keeps him constantly on the move and it does not allow him to care for his brother Amari. Khloe Kardashian has opened up about the heartfelt decision to become the primary caretaker for Amari Thompson, her ex Tristan Thompson's younger brother. In the latest Ask Me Anything episode of her podcast Khloe in Wonder Land, released on July 30, the Kardashians star got candid about why she stepped in to help Amari after his mother Andrea Thompson passed away in January 2023. 'For those who don't know, Tristan has a younger brother who is 18 years old, and he is severely disabled," Khloe explained. She added, 'Amari has LGS (Lennox-Gastaut syndrome), which is a form of epilepsy, and he is disabled. He can't walk or talk. He's never been able to talk." Andrea would take care of Amari when the family lived in Canada. After her sudden death, the family brought Amari to Los Angeles. 'We — me, Tristan, my whole family — took Amari back with us to the States," she further shared. Amari Stays With Khloe Kardashian According to Kardashian, Tristan's NBA schedule keeps him constantly on the move and it does not allow him to care for his brother. This prompted Khloe to step in and stay with Amari. She continued, 'Tristan is in the NBA, and he is in a different state literally every other day or every few days, and it's just not conducive for Amari to be on that many planes. Amari has a handful of seizures a day with the type of epilepsy that he has." 'So Amari stays in LA with me, and I have chosen to take care of him and be there for him, because it's not good that he travels," Khloe went on. Khloe Kardashian Calls Amari 'Blessing' Khloe Kardashian had more to say about Amari's presence in her household, calling him a 'blessing' for her children True and Tatum whom she shares with Tristan. 'I think it's so important for my kids, my nieces and nephews, to be exposed to all different types of people in the world," she said. According to her, the presence of Amari teaches her kids about compassion and understanding. The Good American co-founder is proud and honoured to have Amari in my life. Although Amari cannot verbally talk with those who know him well enough, he can express himself, as per Kardashian. She then went on to address the inevitable questions about why she stepped in despite her breakup with Tristan. Khloe said, 'People are always like, why did I do that? Me and Tristan aren't together, why would I take on helping Amari?" Her answer included details about her longtime bond with the Thompson family. 'When I met them, Andrea, Tristan's mom and I, we became such good friends. I would help her with Amari medically." She said that her decision comes from a place of deep compassion and commitment to giving Amari the love and stability he deserves. First Published: July 31, 2025, 14:51 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- Hindustan Times
India Couture Week 2025: Jayanti Reddy renders regal flair
It was a strong sophomore outing for Hyderabad-based designer Jayanti Reddy at day six of Hyundai India Couture Week. Models showcasing Jayanti Reddy's collection. An experimentation in Dori work, antique textiles and smart draping, the collection saw both male and female models walk down in reimaginings of the khada dupatta. Titled Reclaimed Opulence, Reddy used upcycled textiles and embroidery patches to create her bridal range. Featuring ornate blooms, bird and paisley motifs, it also drew inspiration from Baroque art, Art Deco meshwork and tactile grids. Reddy re-contextualised design residue from her previous collections to create pieces that formed the heart and soul of her latest line. Reddy's take on menswear included silhouettes and drapes with an element of surprise, while peplum blouses paired with intricate lehengas made for a regal presentation.
