Bishop Ronald Herzog of Alexandria, La., a member of the U.S. bishops’ communications committee, used his November address to the bishops’ assembly in Baltimore to tell them how quickly things are changing in the world of the media.

Speaking specifically about online social networking, the bishop said that young people in particular turn to outlets like Facebook and Twitter for everything from world news to classroom gossip.

“The implications of that for a Church which is struggling to get those same young people to enter our churches on Sunday are staggering,” he said. “If the Church is not on their mobile device, it doesn’t exist.”

It’s a funny world where the virtual is more real than the actual, but then God is not just ever-ancient. He is ever-new, too. He equips us to meet the challenges of evangelization and catechesis in every age, to be all things to all people.

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