Social Media Use for Evangelization and Vocational Discernment by Priests in the Catholic Archdiocese of Mombasa

Purpose: This study explored how priests in the Catholic Archdiocese of Mombasa utilize social media for evangelization and vocational discernment. Adopting a descriptive research design approach, the research sought to establish the extent of priests’ engagement on social media for evangelization and vocational discernment, discover strategies employed on social media that enhanced faith sharing and building communion, examine the appropriate use of social media for catechesis and vocational discernment and identify factors that hindered priests from effectively using social media for evangelization and vocational discernment. Methods: The study was guided by the Diffusion of Innovation Theory. The target population comprised of 97diocesans and 22 religious. Using the Krejcie and Morgan formula of sample size determination, a sample size of 91 respondents was selected. Data was collected using structured questionnaires. A pilot study was done to check the reliability and validity of the questionnaires. Data was analyzed quantitatively. For the quantitative data, descriptive and correlation analysis were used. Results: The study findings revealed that while many priests are active on social media, their engagement levels vary significantly. However, challenges such as lack of training, digital literacy, and concerns about online behaviour hinder optimal use. Moreover, technology competency and years of service as priest significantly influenced the use of social media for evangelization and vocational discernment by priests. Conclusion: The research gap is, despite the growing use of social media, there is limited research on its specific impact on vocational discernment and the unique challenges faced by priests in this context. The following recommendations were made: a need to implement comprehensive training for priests on digital literacy and effective social media use, establish support systems to assist priests in managing their social media presence, and address challenges.