Web and Social Media Basics
The Cathedral Community is using three main forms of online communication, each designed to supplement our
traditional tools (the weekly bulletin, posters and flyers, verbal announcements) and to help us grow an online
community of people — some of them parishioners, some friends and family of parishioners, and others who are
looking for a church community or at least a connection some church.
Many churches already are or soon will be using these tools — and others as they come along — to connect in new
ways to their local communities and beyond. There is nothing magical about the web or social media, and nothing
scary either. They are simply ways to share the Gospel message with the world beyond our doors and neighborhood.
The web offers us new opportunities to live the mission of our parish to REACH, TEACH and SEND.
If we use these tools well, they will, slowly help us to grow our community and welcome newcomers and visitors to
share the life of or parish.
We need your help. Even though some of this will sound redundant, none of it should take much time. The key to
success on the web and in social media is to “feed the beast” — to produce a steady flow of information, including
photos and event announcements that draw people to us regularly and encourage them to share our posts with
their own online communities of families and friends. That’s how any organization slowly develops a following
online.
What you can do:
First, create your own Facebook and Twitter accounts, then go to our Facebook and Twitter pages
(https://www.facebook.com/CathedralCommunity and https://twitter.com/CathedralROC. “Like” us on Facebook
and “follow” us on Twitter. When you do that, you will receive all the Cathedral Community posts and tweets, which
you can then “share” with your Facebook friends and “retweet” to your Twitter followers. That’s the first thing you
can do to spread the news to a larger community.
Second, even if you do not use a computer or social media, send us your stuff. It doesn’t have to be a major event or
activity. Routine things are fine. The idea is to get fresh content online every day or at least several times a week.
 Having a meeting? Post it on FB and Twitter. A potluck supper? Nocturnal adoration? Wine tasting?
Looking for baked goods? Need helpers to set up for an event?
 Take pictures when your group has a meal, or takes an outing or provides some community service.
Send them along.
What goes where?
No need for you it figure it out. Facebook, Twitter and the website have different missions, but often can use the
same material — but in slightly different ways. Just send the basic information (who, what, when, where, cost,
contact person) and we’ll take it from there. Not everything will get posted, but many things will.
For the www.CathedralCommunity.org website, send material to your designated web posters:
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Website Updaters & Responsibilities
Kelly/Paul Gotham: (kgotham@rochester.rr.com) Ministries - C.R.U.E. Ministry, Mary’s Place, Social Ministry,
Young Adults, Youth Ministry; Get Involved - Grounds, Boy Scouts; Knights of Columbus; Nocturnal Adoration
Society; Our Lady’s Guild; All-Star Scholars
Mark Hare (Administrator): (mhare@rochester.rr.com) Get Involved – Communications & Evangelization
Tracy Jordan: (tjordan@dor.org) Ministries – Music; Shop; Back-up for Pamela – Coming Up at the Cathedral; Get
Involved - Pastoral, Finance & Investment Councils, Fundraising
Mary Marone: (jpjams@aol.com) Ministries – ALL Faith Formation (Adult Education, Liturgy of the Word, Children’s
Religious Education, R.C.I.A., Vacation Bible School), Prayer Shawl Ministry, Seniors, Small Christian Community,
Visitation of the Sick
Fr. Kevin McKenna: (mckenna@dor.org) Blog
Kathleen Merritt: (katheleenmerritt@rochester.rr.com) Spiritual Growth, Ministries – Consolation, Liturgical
Ministry; Get Involved – Membership, Parish Life, Stewardship; Sacraments
Pamela Rickerl (Administrator): (prickerl@dor.org) Home – monitor “Coming Up at the Cathedral;” About UsBishop, Staff, Our Church & Organ, Credits; Back-up for Fr. Kevin’s Blog
PLEASE NOTE: Each Updater is able to post events on the Home Page’s “Coming Up at the Cathedral.”
Facebook & Twitter
For Facebook and Twitter photos, news, links, etc. send to both:
Pamela Rickerl at prickerl@dor.org and Mark Hare at mhare@rochester.rr.com
We try to follow a posting schedule, but we encourage you to send whatever you have AT ANY TIME:
Monday:
Reflection from the past weekend’s Masses
Tuesday:
Pictures from past weekend’s events
Wednesday:
Quote, Links to other Catholic sites
Thursday:
Highlight an event for the coming weekend
Friday:
What to expect at Mass this weekend, Highlight an event for the coming weekend
Another tool we are using is e-mail. Every Friday a “What’s Happening at the Cathedral” goes out to all parishioners
we have e-mail addresses for. It includes the Mass and Confession times for the weekend, as well as the “This
Week’s Parish Events” calendar from the bulletin. Monthly, through a church announcement, we will ask that if any
parishioners have a change in e-mail address to please fill out a sheet found at the “Box Office” counter so the Office
will be informed.
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