Fr. Don’s Weekly Letter ~ 4 October 2026

Dear Good People of Saint Bernadette,

This week Bishop Burbidge sent out an appeal to all Catholics to use the tools of prayer and fasting to form their consciences with regard to the upcoming ballot. Fasting is a practice that is used by many religions as a discipline to help growth in spirituality. Muslims don’t eat anything (or drink water, if possible) for nearly a month whenever the sun is shining. They break their fast with an iftar dinner at sunset each day. Imagine if the Catholic Church required that of all her members - that, and pausing to pray five times a day...

The Jewish people just celebrated Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, their holiest day of the year, when adults abstain from all food and water from sunset to nightfall the next day, about 25 hours. They also fast on specific holy days and historical commemorations throughout the year from sunrise to sunset. Imagine.

The Catholic Church used to use the same tools. Up until Vatican II, you would have to fast from food or water from midnight if you were to receive Eucharist at Mass. Shortly before Vatican II, it was reduced to three hours. Now it is one hour. And for ten minutes after receiving Holy Communion. It seems like so little, especially if you have a distance to drive to Mass and the homily is long, you might be able to eat right up to leaving home. As for donuts after Mass, that is why we have so, so many announcements after Communion, so you can be sure to observe your ten minute fast after Communion! (not really, but it works, if you think about it).

He is asking us, in October, to pray the rosary on Sundays, and the Stations of the Cross on Fridays. And he is asking us to fast from social media on Sundays, and to commit to one daily meal and no meat on Fridays. Of course, we fast on two days a year now, Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, and no longer have the requirement to abstain from meat on Fridays (except Fridays in Lent) as long as you replace it with a corporal or spiritual Work of Mercy.

Interesting, a new form of fasting, social media. With the usual forms of fasting, I don’t think there is such an immediate benefit to one’s self. You are not going to lose weight by cutting back on the carbs two days a year. But in the case of social media...

I did a little AI investigation. What has the Church been saying about social media? It turns out, the Church has been talking about it for a while. Church leadership, including recent warnings highlighted in Vatican communications guidelines and papal messages, has repeatedly condemned how digital platforms foster “spirals of hatred,” misinformation, and ideological silos that damage Church unity. (I personally avoid these feeding frenzies because they are the least Christian expressions of “Christianity” that find today.)

I discovered a document from the Dicastery for Communications I somehow overlooked in 2023, a 20-page document titled “Towards Full Presence. A Pastoral Reflection on Engagement with Social Media.” It asks the questions: What kind of humanity is reflected in our presence in digital environments? How much of our digital relationships is the fruit of deep and truthful communication, and how much is merely shaped by unquestioned opinions and passionate reactions? The first two, not much. The third? Who knows? And how much of our faith finds living and refreshing digital expressions? And who is my “neighbor” on social media?

The 2023 document says “...the role of artificial intelligence in the years to come will increasingly impact our experience of reality.” Yes, indeed. Experts and clergy note that the constant emotionalism and personalization of online feeds compromise critical thinking, replacing traditional communal worship and charity with reactive hostility.

From my vantage point, social media is not making us better people, but rather less human and more divided. Rather than allowing social media algorithms reward extreme opinions that do us damage, simply fast. Fast.

The Lord be with you,