In the Spotlight: Catholic Online Influencers

We all know that in the last several years, much of our lives and our attention has shifted online. Activities such as online shopping, renewing our license plates, buying movie tickets, and researching ominous symptoms until we’re convinced we’re going to die, all have moved to within a click of our computer mouse.

While there are many pitfalls attached to the online life, there is also an abundance of treasures. For example, a number of absolute stars in the Catholic Cyberworld are just waiting for you to log on. So much so, that this newsletter is going to start highlighting some of the best.

This week, I’d like to start with an “oldie, but a goodie”. (In internet-terms, an “oldie’ is anything that happened before last week.)

Back in the early 2020s, two nuns from The Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist, in Ann Arbor, Michigan, started a YouTube channel called “Manners Mondays”. Their videos are published by OpenLight Media. The two sisters who host the program are Sr. Peter Thomas, OP, and Sr. Mercedes, OP (pictured above).

I was fortunate enough to come across an article about this video podcast very early on in their first season. I was quite curious to read about a couple of young nuns who were quickly becoming “YouTube famous.” So I checked them out.

As mentioned, the name of their series is “Manners Monday.” Each Monday, these habit-wearing sisters post a pithy – around 2 minutes – video that focuses on one particular behavior that is commonly accepted to be “good manners.”

Each video, which has a very catchy music track by the way, is funny, charming, and direct.

I was surprised at first that there was no overt theological message. Instead, the sisters take a definitive stand on the practical ways people should treat each other in their daily interactions.

Here is a lit of some of their topics so far:

• Don’t Interrupt

• Including Another in a Conversation

• Airplane Etiquette

• When to Bring a Gift

• Apologies

• Receiving Difficult Feedback

• Dealing with Rude People

• Reading Body Language

• Driving Etiquette

• Movie Theater Courtesy

• Expressing Gratitude

• Being on Time

As you can see from this sample of episodes, these sisters are out there in the real world and have witnessed ALL KINDS of behaviors – both good and bad.

In particular, I love Sr. Peter Thomas’ quirky sense of humor. For instance, in the video about “Airplane Etiquette”, she asks Sr. Mercedes if she thinks her jokes are going to “fly”. As a dad who loves dad jokes, I give her an A+!

I really like that these two women are using the moral authority of their position to remind us to expect more from ourselves and from each other. Historically, nuns have a reputation for being ultra-strict. Sr. Peter Thomas and Sr. Mercedes may have a similar message from past generations, but they communicate it in a fun, playful tone that definitely succeeds in catching more flies with honey than with vinegar.

I highly recommend you check out all of their videos!

It looks like “Manners Mondays” just wrapped up their second season of videos in December (2024). I haven’t seen if there will be a season 3 yet, but with over 30,000 subscribers, I like their chances!

If you’d like to read more about “Manners Mondays”, please visit this article in the Detroit Catholic for a great background piece!

Is there a particular online Catholic influencer that you really like? Please share it with us! Send me an email at [email protected].