New Media – New Educative Challenges for Catechesis

Abstract

The development of the Internet and modern communication tools is the subject of research of various scientific disciplines. For many years, polish researchers have been conducting both quantitative and qualitative studies on the degree of Internet use and the impact of new technologies and their tools on the contemporary young generation. The Catholic Church in its teaching repeatedly draws attention to the important role of the media in communication of faith and is aware of the challenges that generate new media. Based on the analysis of the results of selected studies of polish youth, the article presents several features of „the Z generation”. They were defined as: 1. Logged in-mobile-communicated; 2. Active recreators; 3. Addicted?; 4. Lonely; 5. Creators of the new identity and image. Then, in the above thematic areas, an attempt was made to present several educational and formation tasks for the contemporary catechetical ministry in Poland, in relation to this generation. The proclamation of the word of God in catechesis by and in new media is still a current challenge for catechists and those responsible for their formation.