Vatican turns to ‘hot priests’ to spread faith

[Michie]

Social media seen as means to ensure survival of a church suffering from declining numbers

Father Cosimo Schena says his church’s attendance has doubled since he started using Facebook and TikTok


If it weren’t for the dog collar, the robes and occasional background of a church, one would be forgiven for thinking, judging by his Instagram profile, that Father Ambrogio Mazzai was a fitness influencer rather than a man of faith.

Pictures of him playing the guitar or biking in the mountains have animated a following who are presumably just as interested in the good word as they are in his good looks.

“What a beautiful guy our Father is!” wrote one follower on Father Mazzai’s account. “You are very beautiful and very elegant!” said another.

While some puritans might sniff at the idea that religion needs to be made cool to have modern appeal, a group of priests including Father Mazzai are using social media to make a powerful case to the contrary.

He shares photos and videos with his 460,000 followers on TikTok and Instagram almost every day and counts Matteo Salvini, Italy’s deputy prime minister, among his fans.

Continued below.

https://archive.is/2025.07.26-154226/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2025/07/26/vatican-hot-priests-spread-faith-digital-age/

 

[RileyG]

That’s a bit odd, imo.

 

[Michie]

That one priest with the tattoos and the size of the shirt he was wearing was over the top imo. He’s deliberately laying out thirst traps imo.

 

[Michie]

Dubbed ‘the bodybuilding priest’, Father Fusari has more than 60,000 followers on Instagram Credit: CHP

It’s even opened debate about whether today’s fashion can exist with the church’s traditional conservatism.

One follower of Father Fusari asks: “Without any judgment, aren’t you against tattoos? I have one, I really regret having done it 30 years ago, because the Lord said “you shall not tattoo your skin”.... What do you think? God bless you.”

 

[Michie]

Anytime a 2,000 year old institution founded by Christ himself is seeking relevance, you know it’s off the rails. Jesus didn’t use focus groups.

The Good News Isn’t Cutting it Anymore. We Need “Hot Priests.” – Creative Minority Report

creativeminorityreport.com

 

[fide]

Anytime a 2,000 year old institution founded by Christ himself is seeking relevance, you know it’s off the rails. Jesus didn’t use focus groups.

The Good News Isn’t Cutting it Anymore. We Need “Hot Priests.” – Creative Minority Report

creativeminorityreport.com

It is very hard on a faithful Catholic, to see what has become of many wearing His Name. Five of the seven churches who were sent letters from the Lord (Rev 2-3), were called to repentance , and certainly not praised for their growth in membership! The risen Jesus did not send His Apostles out to "make more Catholics" (Mt 28) but rather "make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you...."

It is heart-breaking to see so much of the fallen world in the Church - hierarchy and laity. The Church of Laodicea, one of the seven, is particularly and painfully shameful:

Rev 3:14 "And to the angel of the church in La-odicea write: 'The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God's creation.
Rev 3:15 "'I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were cold or hot!
Rev 3:16 So, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew (literally vomit) you out of my mouth.
Rev 3:17 For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing; not knowing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.
Rev 3:18 Therefore I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, that you may be rich, and white garments to clothe you and to keep the shame of your nakedness from being seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, that you may see.
Rev 3:19 Those whom I love, I reprove and chasten; so be zealous and repent.
Rev 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if any one hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.
Rev 3:21 He who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I myself conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne.
Rev 3:22 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.'"

 

[joymercy]

I'm a missionary

Believe me

When I say that the church does not need to be "cool" to reach people

People are literally dieing out there on the streets

People respond so so so very well to actual LOVE

They do not care what you are wearing or your tats or muscles!

Feed the hungry, lift them up with prayer and scriptures

Say their name

Talk to them

Ask how they are doing and what's on their minds and hearts

Give encouragement, let them know that Jesus loves them so very much

 

[Michie]

I'm a missionary

Believe me

When I say that the church does not need to be "cool" to reach people

People are literally dieing out there on the streets

People respond so so so very well to actual LOVE

They do not care what you are wearing or your tats or muscles!

Feed the hungry, lift them up with prayer and scriptures

Say their name

Talk to them

Ask how they are doing and what's on their minds and hearts

Give encouragement, let them know that Jesus loves them so very muchView attachment 367858

Amen.

As stated in the second article:

Anytime a 2,000 year old institution founded by Christ himself is seeking relevance, you know it’s off the rails. Jesus didn’t use focus groups.

It’s like they’ve gone, “Forget the Sermon on the Mount, let’s go for the Sermon on the catwalk!” A bit of spiritual clickbait.

Just get serious, would you?

Because, let’s be honest, the “good news” isn’t complicated, is it? It’s not about how many likes you get on your spiritual selfie. It’s not about whether your priest could grace the cover of a fashion magazine. It’s about something far more profound, far more radical. It’s about that simple, staggering idea of redemption, of grace, of a love so vast it encompasses every single one of us, regardless of our earthly imperfections or our Instagram follower count.

The message, my friends, is that you are loved, you are worthy, and there’s a path to something beyond this fleeting material carnival. That’s the real story! That’s the blockbuster! That’s the revelation! You don’t need a gimmick for that. You just need to tell the truth, plain and simple.

So, perhaps, instead of trying to make priests look like they’ve stepped out of a theological boy band, maybe the Vatican could just, you know, open its heart, open its doors, and shout the glorious, unadulterated, saving truth from the rooftops. It just needs to be heard.

 

[joymercy]

I wonder if Father Ripperger addressed this somewhere?

It seems demonic to me, like a shady way to detour the straight path to a crooked one

 

[joymercy]

Seems like the sin of Pride here

Deny yourself and take up your cross

 

[Michie]

I wonder if Father Ripperger addressed this somewhere?

It seems demonic to me, like a shady way to detour the straight path to a crooked one

It’s deceptive for sure. Like the priest that says he regrets his tattoos while displaying them wearing a shirt two sizes too small while asking his audience what they think. I thinly veiled display under a very vapid guise of spirituality. It’s so transparent.

 

[Lady Bug]

I need priests to be less attractive, lol.

 

[FaithT]

I need priests to be less attractive, lol.

LOL!

 

[Lady Bug]

LOL!

I'm still thinking about the vibe I felt after being in the confessional with one of them. The vibe wasn't from him but from me, lol.

 

[FaithT]

I'm still thinking about the vibe I felt after being in the confessional with one of them. The vibe wasn't from him but from me, lol.

Don’t worry about it. You didn’t do anything wrong.

 

[Michie]

From CNA-

Secret of a priest influencer: Don’t complicate the message

It was four years ago that Father Cosimo Schena decided to create a social media profile to proclaim the Gospel in a friendly, positive, and accessible way.

www.catholicnewsagency.com

 

[RileyG]

Anytime a 2,000 year old institution founded by Christ himself is seeking relevance, you know it’s off the rails. Jesus didn’t use focus groups.

The Good News Isn’t Cutting it Anymore. We Need “Hot Priests.” – Creative Minority Report

creativeminorityreport.com

Amen!

 

[Chrystal-J]

Reminds me of how Fr. Corapi would try to be "cool" and "relatable". He ended up in a huge mess and walked away from the priesthood for a while.

 

[FaithT]

Reminds me of how Fr. Corapi would try to be "cool" and "relatable". He ended up in a huge mess and walked away from the priesthood for a while.

When I was in grade school we had a really popular priest. He wasn’t good looking but he was vey nice and everybody loved him. Father Grass.