Safcam Communique #25 07/11/2020

Safcam Communique #25       07/11/2020 

Dear Subscribers

As the mainstream media focused on the USA election saga, Safcam was busy with assisting the CIVAM meeting this week with secretary and translation ‘services’. Thank God for Zoom (among other digital conferencing platforms. The multitude of travel restrictions in this time of the coronavirus pandemic cannot prevent us from gathering online. Even though it is not as satisfactory as meeting face to face, it is wonderful to be able to assemble from 18 different countries, at minimal expense, and exchange concerns and joys, reach resolutions and experience solidarity among the provinces of the region this way. Even the Rector Major was able to join the last session for almost an hour.

Besides this wonderful IT facility for digital encounters, the internet is having an increasingly significant impact on our lives and that of the young people we are called to minister to. Even poor teens are more and more able to access the virtual universe with all the benefits but also risks it contains. Many teens are not interested in TV anymore – they want their own smart phone, and feel deprived if they don’t have one. Are we sufficiently accompanying them through that jungle?

There is plenty of junk on the web, but also plenty of educational and spiritual resources. Just do a search with the word “Eucharist” or “Prayer” or “Catholic” or “Saints” and you will be amazed at all the useful catechetical and evangelizing clips come up. The following statistics give an idea of how ubiquitous YouTube watching is. Are we making use of it, and not just for entertainment!

Some YouTube Statistics from their website (2019 stats)

Total Number of Monthly Active YouTube Users: 2 billion (more than a quarter of the world’s population!)

Total Number of Daily Active YouTube Users:   30 million

Average Mobile Viewing Session:                            40 minutes

Number of Videos watched Per Day:                      1 billion

Hours of Videos uploaded per minute:                  500

51% of YouTube users visit the site daily.

37% of Millennials aged 18 – 34 are binge-watching YouTube daily.

70% of YouTube viewing time comes from mobile devices.

YouTube is the 2nd most visited site in the world and is the second largest search engine in the world.

Some “click bait”:

https://youtu.be/mIbCZQ5BqPw - Visit the new Don Bosco museum with Don Angel – 12 mins

https://youtu.be/YUOgYiw_OZ0 - 25 minute documentary on Carlo Acutis by EWTN.

https://youtu.be/eOMDhEssstw - A new documentary explores the potential of ‘conversion therapy’ for homosexuals by Michel Lizotte. Much criticized by some, a variety of therapies, empirically validated by many decades of research, is revealed to be quite effective when used by competent therapists. (1hour 50 minutes in length!)

And for music lovers (especially those who can concentrate on their work while music plays in the background), here is a comprehensive music library! It plays on almost any device that connects to the internet! - http://saigonocean.com/NhacNgoaiQuoc.htm  

Obviously, some smart Vietnamese put this together! Click on the Link. There are many folders of various categories and artists. Click on the one that you want to listen to; it will play non-stop. Minimise that folder and continue with other matters on your screen…

Wishing you another blessed week, Camiel and Francois