The University of St. Thomas-Houston MAX Studios, in partnership with the Word on Fire Institute, launched an innovative video series to demonstrate how to bring the light of the Gospel to the digital world. Harnessing the expertise of major Catholic influencers who evangelize effectively on social media platforms, each episode of the series, The New Evangelization and New Media, spotlights today’s most interesting and compelling Catholic influencers to share their experiences with technology and media to get to the heart of our culture and reach their specific audience.

Check out the trailer for the series!

EPISODE FOUR – HALEY STEWART EXPLORES INSTAGRAM

In the New Evangelization and New Media series, it’s time to talk Instagram. For this masterclass in evangelization, we called on IG aficionado Haley Stewart.

Haley Stewart is a Catholic convert, a mom of four, and a distiller’s wife. She’s an author, podcaster, speaker, and managing editor of Word on Fire Spark, their new publishing line for children and young readers. A former homeschool mom and homesteader, Haley has shared her story widely and accumulated 17,000+ followers on Instagram who enjoy her wit, humor, and discussion on the Catholic faith.

Haley is a rockstar on Instagram and is a fantastic touchpoint for people who are trying to understand how to live a Catholic life and just be themselves.

Watch the episode – Haley Stewart Explores Instagram

“The Church needs all of us, and the Church needs you. So when you’re sharing things about who you are on social media, that’s significant, and it’s going to reach someone.”

Catholic Takeaways and Reflections On Instagram

Takeaways:

1. Your Instagram account should be a realistic view of Catholic life lived out – the good and bad moments.
2. Digital relationships can and should work toward an invitation to come to Mass and/or learn more about Christ. 
3. We live in this day and age, and it is our duty to use the tools in front of us to share Jesus with others.

Reflections:

1. Ponder how you might be perceived if you are the only Catholic someone may see on social media.
2. How do you think you’ve been called to share your life and thoughts on social media for evangelization?
3. What do you think are some opportunities for lay Catholics and/or parishes to utilize social media for inviting people to Mass? 

For more behind-the-scenes content of Haley, visit https://ustmaxstudios.com/the-new-evangelization-new-media/instagram/.