An Indonesian bishop has warned young Catholics against allowing digital media to control their lives, urging them to use communication technology critically and responsibly.
Bishop Hilarion Datus Lega of Manokwari-Sorong made the appeal during the opening Mass of the Pre-Indonesia Youth Day 2026 gathering at Christ the King Cathedral in Sorong on Oct. 20.
“Do not let communication media control us; rather, we must maintain full control over communication technology,” Datus said.
The bishop warned young Catholics against becoming slaves to media and said misusing communication tools could lead to isolation, withdrawal, and passivity, according to a report by MIRIFICA News.
He urged young Catholics, known in Indonesia as Orang Muda Katolik, or OMK, to understand communication principles and use information platforms in constructive ways.
Datus said young people should be intelligent and critical users of media as rapid technological change reshapes how people communicate.
He also urged them to act wisely and responsibly on social media platforms such as Instagram and warned against using them simply as outlets for personal impulses.
The bishop said truth encountered in digital spaces should not be treated as absolute, stressing that ultimate truth belongs to God.
At the start of his homily, Datus referred to an appeal from Bishop Maksimus Regus, chairman of the Youth Commission of the Indonesian Bishops’ Conference, for young Catholics to rise and take an active role amid changing times.
Datus said young people must continue learning and adapting while developing the maturity and resilience needed to face rapid social and technological change.
He also stressed the importance of solidarity and cooperation in Church and community life.
“The journey of young people must be grounded in the full awareness that human beings were created to stand alongside and support one another. As taught in Scripture, Catholic youth are reminded always to be ‘good and faithful servants’ in carrying out every task in life,” he said.
The bishop encouraged young Catholics to contribute to the life of the Church, beginning in their local communities and Basic Ecclesial Communities, and to become witnesses of love in society.
He also urged them to cultivate three qualities: deep faith, pride in being disciples of Christ, and joy in service.
“Through a spirit of complementing and strengthening one another, all the hopes and aspirations of the Church for the future can be prepared on a firm and well-directed foundation,” Datus said.
He closed his homily by reminding young Catholics that the Word of God remains the foundation of Christian life, describing it as living and life-giving rather than simply written words.
