Priests and Nuns Turn to TikTok to Reach Youth
Catholic clergy across Latin America are using social media as church attendance and religious identity decline in the region.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Catholicism
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Priests, nuns, and deacons across Latin America are posting religious content on platforms such as TikTok to reach younger generations. Online religious content surged during COVID-19 lockdowns, and a Vatican committee created after the 2024 Synod of Bishops supports digital creators in the region.
Why it matters
Latin America is home to more Catholics than any other region, yet church attendance and religious identity are declining there. Church leaders are turning to digital platforms to maintain engagement with younger people.
Mexican priest and filmmaker Heriberto Garcia Arias, 38, of Jalisco, has more than 2.7 million followers across his platforms. The extraction does not provide attendance figures comparing online audiences with in-person congregations.
The players
Heriberto Garcia Arias
A 38-year-old Mexican priest and filmmaker from Jalisco who creates religious content for platforms such as TikTok.
Vatican
The central governing body of the Catholic Church, whose committee created after the 2024 Synod of Bishops supports digital creators in Latin America.
The details
Heriberto Garcia Arias began by posting videos of charreria, a Mexican equestrian tradition, before moving into religious reflections aimed at young people. Content ranges from prayer and holy water tutorials to comedy and late-night raves, and three Austrian nuns in their 80s used their online following last year to avoid eviction from a church-assigned nursing home.
Timeline
2024: The Synod of Bishops created a Vatican committee to support digital creators across Latin America.
During COVID-19 lockdowns: Online religious content surged as sermons moved online.
Last year: Three Austrian nuns avoided eviction using their online clout.
Two years ago: A bill raising abortion prison sentences to up to 20 years failed after social media mobilization.
Season Trajectory
The Vatican committee created after the 2024 Synod of Bishops formalized support for digital creators across Latin America. This places online outreach at the center of the Church's effort to reverse declining attendance in the region.
Readers following Catholic life can see how parish outreach increasingly happens through short videos and creator-led content rather than only in churches. The extraction does not report specific changes to sacramental access or parish programs.
The takeaway
Digital platforms have become a central tool for religious institutions trying to reach audiences who are leaving traditional church settings. Whether this approach sustains engagement will depend on how well online connection translates into in-person participation.
Further reading
Explore more on Catholicism and the Church's changing role across the region.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Express Tribune.
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