They’re sexy, they’re single, they’re celibate.
In what appears to be their latest bid to bring younger generations into the fold and develop a greater online presence, the Catholic Church is rolling out an eyebrow-raising new digital advertising strategy: promoting attractive priests.
Last week, the Vatican hosted a thousand Catholic influencers from around the globe as they rethink their digital content strategy. Among them are scores of handsome priests with massive social media followings across platforms like Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and Facebook. And it’s these holy hunks – and their hundreds of thousands of social media followers – that the Vatican is relying on to drive conversions in the coming years.
Meet the Holy Heartthrobs
If not for their telltale clergy collar, you may mistake their feeds as that of a fitness or lifestyle influencer. Father Ambrogio Mazzai (follower count: 105k) often posts photos of himself gently strumming his acoustic guitar, or riding on his mountain bike.
Then there’s Father Cosimo Schena (follower count: 458k), often posing with his dogs in a clergy shirt which can barely contain his biceps.
And there’s also Father Giuseppe Fusari (follower count: 63k), who is affectionately called the “bodybuilder priest” by his followers. He shares brief video sermons with his followers, his eyes intimately locked on the camera – as if he’s directly speaking to the viewer.
A Winning Strategy?
Those are just a few of the social media savvy priests redefining how the Catholic Church engages with young people, which is becoming a major priority within the Vatican. Pope Francis was an advocate of meeting the youth where they are – and right now that’s on places like TikTok and Instagram.
Pope Leo is continuing Francis’ strategy, bringing experience with social media on numerous platforms prior to his election to the pontificate. Within the Vatican, there’s a concerted effort to be a church of the 21st century and creatively utilize social media to their advantage.
And if having some handsome priests post a few so-called "thirst traps" is the way to bring the Holy Spirit to a new generation? Then so be it.
So far, it seems the strategy is paying off. Father Schena reports that his own church attendance has doubled since he started using social media to engage with the public.
Speaking at the influencer summit, Pope Leo stressed that the human element of faith cannot be forgotten amidst all the posting. “It is not simply a matter of generating content, but of creating an encounter between hearts,” he stated. “It is up to us – to each one of you – to ensure that this culture remains human.”
What do you think of the Vatican’s latest social media strategy? Do scripture and sex appeal mix?
26 comments
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Nicholas J Page
Maybe that's what the church needs younger ministers might get the younger ones into the church
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Patricia Sydney Solis
Talk about neurotic! Stoke passion yet forbid it and turn your human feelings against you make you feel guilty and shameful about not being perfect then have something to confess about, is that it? Just like any business— private prisons need to fill beds and the Catholic Church needs to fill confession boxes. I don’t understand why priests, since they so despise their humanly bodies, don’t just castrate themselves. Make it a sacrament. That would solve the paedophilia problem and the passion.
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Roy S. Thorpe
Vulgar and disgusting! The Catholic Church should be disbanded and all those involved with that celibate nonsense shown the door! Hundreds of year of molestation covered up! No more lies!
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Matthew Mastrogiovanni
Have you seen the latest issue of Hot Nuns? The Mother Superior of the month is the greatest. (This is called sarcasm)
I thought the church denounced lust?
The hypocrisy of the church. knows no bounds.
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Reverend Paula Copp
I think Pope Leo has more to do with the renewal than any one particular “hunky” priest. Leo’s progressive approach will help bring the people back. I’m not christian; I’m not favoring the Catholics.
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Lionheart
I guess whatever modern day strategy is needed to corral the innocent, uneducated, and vulnerable could possibly work with many. 🤷
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Dr Rohn
Lionheart The corralling of the innocent, uneducated, and vulnerable is nothing new. The realization that organized religion, especially Catholicism, is the teaching of a belief structured to control. Be that as it may, religion is about comfort. Some people just need to feel comfortable in their own skin. Some people have to follow some organize structure to have that comfort. My response probably has nothing to do with the whole overall article, but your comment spread me to smile and voice this to you. I smile
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Lionheart
Yes, you are indeed correct Dr. Rohn. Organized religion, or some other socially constructed group is often a need/requirement to deal with life and its challenges. I guess we all need them in some form or other. My main concern is for those that insist their socially constructed group, such as religion, is the one to become involved with, and if it’s not joined a psychologically abusive element is added to get people to join it, even to the point where some will be frightened if they don’t join it. I have personally dealt with, and helped, people that have suicide ideation due to religious indoctrination, hence my dislike for those type of social groups that tend to control peoples minds.
Thanks for your constructive and friendly comment.
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John Anthony Baerlein
Can you name an organization, religious or otherwise, that doesn’t, in one way or another try to control a mindset? Even sports? Or have you decided on the one everyone has decided is the worst of the worst. For today. Can you name any religion that doesn’t use "religious indoctrination?” Or again, just going for an easy one today. A classic in college on understanding Buddha. Religious Indoctrination. Muslim teachings of treatment towards LGBTQR+ community. Religious indoctrination. I can’t think of a single religion that doesn’t indoctrinate or try to control, in one way or another, those who aspire to be a good Catholic, Muslim, Buddhist, Taoist, Jew etc etc. we know saying anything negative about a Muslim is a no-no. Jews are being systemically flushed down the toilet. Christians are the obvious choice for next in line. In all honesty, it’s pathetic how one can sit and try to degrade, demean or devalue what another believes simply because of ignorance and the wearing of blinders so they don’t have to look anywhere but where their target is. Catholics/Christians do not control all of those with suicidal ideation. I’m not sure if you realize it, but all religions deal with members who suffer from mental illness. None are exempt. None are free of a following where suicidal ideation is nonexistent. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but the chances of suicidal ideation due to only religion is nothing I’ve ever even heard of. Could it be a component of what the person is feeling? Of course. But in all my decades dealing with suicidal people, I’ve never had 1 tell me their family life is fantastic, social life could not be better, love life is exceptional, but when they listen to the Sunday sermon, it’s time to think of exactly how they would end their life. I don’t know what religion of rainbows and unicorns you belong to, but most religions have this "do not judge others" policy due to the hypocrisy such actions shine a light on. Like your post. It’s easy to judge another when you don’t have to look at yourself first.
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Elizabeth Jane Erbe Wilcox
Why am I not surprised that the catholics would bring sex into their “advertising?” Imagine all the young women swooning and confessing their “sins” to such good looking pedo… I mean “priests!”
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Colleen McAllister
Whatever helps to get the Word out. Just make sure the follow up is sound Biblical preaching.
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Lionheart
Yes, “make sure” their minds are completely controlled and taken over. There is no room for logic, reason, or critical thought. Scare them with stories to make sure they don’t deviate from a direction you insist they follow. North Korea and the Third Reich have/had similar philosophies to keep people toeing the line. But never forget, God is love. Please make sure everyone knows this, and threaten them with eternal damnation if they don’t follow the guidelines. Please try and make sure children are not told about god killing children, it just won’t go down very well until they are older. Then, when they are older try and come up with any stories you can think of to try and support why it was necessary for god to do that. Try and stay away from the genocidal flood story as well, and wars, until later, but insist God is love at all times and I think you’ll get away with it. I mentioned the war in heaven once but I think I got away with it. 😜 (That was a small joke for followers of “Fawlty Towers”)
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John Anthony Baerlein
Now Lionheart has decided to show his chickenheart. Tisk Tisk. Not just judgmental, but hypocritical, delusional, and bearer of a "holier than thou" attitude that makes anonymous postings so much fun to deal with. So to the fool, spreading the word means their "minds are completely controlled" I’ll say a comment like that shows utter contempt for another’s choice. Which makes you as far from a "holy" man/woman as possible. And straddles the line of trying to incite hate. "No room for logic, reason, or critical thought" I agree. You are illogical, you give no reasoning for your ignorance and I’d be hesitant to think you use critical thinking at all in any part of your sad, angry life. "Scare them with stories" ummmmm… huh? Please, indulge me with these stories. "North Korea and the Third Reich" obviously an American who can’t accept change and decide anything they disagree with is Nazi. This makes ignorance look like a picnic. This American drivel is completely stupid and spoken by the uneducated. God is love! Yes. My God, his god, her god… obviously not your god since your god teaches hypocrisy, being judgmental of all others, ignorance, hate and stupidity. Wait a minute. You’re an American. So you are a liberal and your last abomination, Joe Biden, is your god! I knew I’d figure out your religion. The religion of hate, hypocrisy, hate and hate. Eternal damnation would be for anyone subjected to your hate and your drivel on a regular basis. Not many would stand for your amount of hate without shutting you up once your drivel became boring. I’ve seen, watched and dealt with your kind of hate for years. The thing is that your hate for anyone who differs from your delusional thoughts really isn’t outward hate. It’s self-loathing for accomplishing all you have been capable of accomplishing your entire life. Nothing. You think your hate makes you standout and special. Reality check chickenheart, it shows you’re nothing. Just a fool chasing windmills. Go with God. Leave your hate and idols behind.
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Travis A. Lee
Lionheart can defend himself, I am very sure. I've seen in the past. What I haven't seen is your ranting before, John Anthony Baerlein. Then again, I rarely pay attention to anyone spewing as much Hate as you did in your rant. I unfortunately voted BEFORE I read your whole hate filled rant. Shame on me. Who are you to judge anyone? Are YOU God? If not, Judgement comes ONLY from GOD, not from some United States Hate-filled person. I KNOW you are filled with HATE since the last half of your rant is against the United States and most especially against Biden. THAT leads me logically to one conclusion, YOU are nothing more than an ill-informed miscreant who bashes others with judgement against them, saying they hate others, while doing the EXACT same thing. No where, does Lionheart even exude any hate and IF YOU LIVED IN THE United States and had to deal with people like YOU, then, No, no...you would NOT be any different than the hate spewing hypocrites who live here anyway. Especially since you despise Liberals from some reason. Since I've Not ever seen your hate spewing rants before, I cannot say.what makes you HATE the United States and Democracy so much. Other than you being an U.S. Citizen actually a MAGA person but trying to sound like someone from another Country. Because YOUR RANT is exactly the same crap that MAGA people spew when the TRUTH is told and they can't handle it. Perhaps, YOU might pull the log out of your own eye first before ranting against others accusing them of spewing hate, when YOU are the one doing it. Check your Heart before you go after people. YOU are not a Godly Warrior far from it. YOU said, "Go with God". I will Tell YOU, Walk with Jesus Christ.
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John Anthony Baerlein
Such sadness that anything you read you take as hate. Hate came from 2 places only. The Lionheart and you. I explained everything I said. It was Lionhearts hate that was put into context. Also, from what I understand, MAGA is a movement, not a person. America is sick. Needs to recuperate to become the giant it once was. By your hate filled rant, you are obviously also a liberal. Your country is not the only country that has to deal with the hypocrisy and hate of liberals. Most Countries have them and have started to wake up and pull their power away. I’m trying to understand why you put the United States and democracy together. The United States is not a democracy; it’s a Constitutional Republic which is much different from a democracy. Why does a foreigner know that but you do not? America has a chance to redeem itself in the eyes of the World. The only thing holding that back are the antics of Democrat politicians, the hate of an ally and the delusions of the democrats/liberal party. They have spread hate throughout the world. We have all seen your puppet president who was never the president commit treason, commit an act of war against an ally and commit multiple acts of war against your enemies and finally committed treason by allowing your country to be invaded. I don’t hate America. I hope they have the strength to come back from deaths door and become the bastions of hope and strength they once were. While I appreciate your lack of understanding of what was written, I would implore you to follow your own words. Your hate, hypocrisy and obvious delusions are treatable on their own by simply reading the Good Book and understanding that calling someone judgmental in the way you did is exactly what you are supposedly preaching about. Much like the liberals ideals that if someone disagrees with you, ad hominem attack is justified. Remove the branch from your eye before trying to remove a splinter from someone else’s! I do walk with Christ. But you will never get the chance to tell me anything. It’s not the way the world works. I did live in America for a few years. I live in Tibet now. In a small village not far from the main monastery. We fight a truly hateful and genocidal government, and not a made up bad government created in the minds of those wanting nothing but destruction of their own country. Go with… whomever your higher power is today.
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Steven Ferrell
I pity you and your total negativity. Prayers for you.
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Dr. Zerpersande, NSC
Take of my body. Eat. ???
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Steven Ferrell
That is a great idea. There are those into biking, others into their digs, others into bodybuilding, etc. If you have Priests that also enjoy those things, why not share it.
The Catholic Church for centuries has had the Priest set aside as someone different then anyone else. But they are human so why not let people see their humanity as well.Now if the church would allow their Priests and nuns to marry, I think it would help them to see an increase as people would feel they can relate more to what others face.
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John E Karlin
Why copy the emphasis on masculinity that is one of the drivers of Christian Nationalism?
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James Riggle-Johnson
This is funny.
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Clive Hessing
Not my area of expertise
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Ari Joseph Bertine
I just had to laugh and roll my eyes at this one. At least it's just goofy, and not hateful or scary like so many things this newsletter reports on. Someone please tell me they are pairing this campaign with some clever Biblical puns about thirst.
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John Reseigh
Sex sells.
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John Anthony Baerlein
I wonder if any yelling from the mountains about pedophilia/sexual assault by priests know actual facts/statistics of their preaching. I wonder how many would remove their children from schools if they knew the chances of being molested by a teacher are almost double that of a priest. I don’t want this in anyway to sound like I’m condoning or excusing the actions of a priest or any person who abuses a child. I think Florida has it right when they open up the death penalty to repeat offenders against children. I do realize Catholic priests are an easy target due to the medias propensity for repeating allegations over and over again when dealing with the clergy. There are very large problems that have recently been exposed when talking about sexual assault on children and pedophilia that most enjoy to remain silent and not be bothered with. Like States who lower the age of consent for man/boy relations and try to normalize the appearance of men dating boys. I wonder how many spoke out about that. More recently, an online pedophile site was shut down. It was actually 4 sites that required a person to send in an "x" amount of pedophilia photos and videos to become a member. There were upwards of 200k members and millions of photos and videos of men with babies up thru teens. Infants. 4% of Catholic Priests have been accused of or found guilty of sexual abuse of minors or pedophilia. 5% of the general non gay community has. 20-40% of gay men have. Boy Scout leaders, 4.4%. K-12 educators 7%. All should be prosecuted and after found guilty, receive their sentence. No matter what the sentence is, or who is being sentenced, all should be accountable for their own actions. Statistically, you’re going after priests. Some of the least likely to molest a child. But someone who by virtue, should be the one trusted as he has devoted his life to spreading the word of Our Lord, Jesus Christ. If you ask me, that’s one hell of a dilemma. Things do need to change in the Catholic Church. No question. However, it’s up to each of us to remove the branch from our own eye before we remove the splinter from someone else’s. We are all supposed to be spreading the word of our god. No denomination over another. Here we are one of many attempting to help those who need help. Listen to those needing a voice. Speaking for those who can not speak. I’m sure there are not many of those higher powers that taught any of us to be judgmental or to shun another who has fallen from grace. It’s our responsibility to build a new foundation and assist ALL those in need. Not just the ones you deem fit..today. May God bless you all and open your eyes to His message of hope and love. Not hate and exile.
I can only go on the photos above, but those are all older priests. Not hardly the type (hopefully) to be appealing sexually to the younger crowd. But they all look relatable and human. They seem like real people and they feel approachable. And those ARE things I feel the modern world wants in their spiritual advisors. I can relate to you and I feel I can trust you. So I will listen to what you have to say. That's a very powerful message, especially in this day and age.
The first two were very young, especially when you consider how much education is required before becoming a priest (equivalent to getting a Master's degree), so I'm not sure where you're coming from. Then again I'm almost 70, so anyone under 40 looks very young to me. You won't see any Catholic priests that look like teenagers or early 20somethings. Actually, very few denominations will have senior pastors under 30. Some will have youth pastors or interns in their 20s, who are envisioning becoming a senior pastor some day.