The answer, as Terry Hegarty, editor of Bayard’s Living Faith and one of two presenters at the April 2 ‘Conversations at the Center,’ is ‘yes.’

Hegarty, along with Jaime Gil, a graduate student at Boston College’s STM, each offered reflections on social media and how the communication tools relate to life in the Church.

Both focused on the positives and negatives. Hegarty, who went first, described the people who utilize social media as a “vast assembly”—and a perfect opportunity for evangelization, especially in the Assumptionist spirit. Sure, the tenor of social media is often angry—and that’s because a lot of people are unhappy—but that doesn’t mean the church should shy away from utilizing it.

Gil certainly knew what Hegarty meant. For a project, Gil, who is originally from Mexico, decided to put American and Mexican college students in conversation on Facebook and created a page where they could meet. He had them introduce themselves and then had the students discuss the differences between American and Mexican educational systems, in addition to more outwardly emotional topics like immigration.

It was a lot of work, he said, but it was rewarding.

Hegarty and Gil answered questions from the attendees, and then everyone enjoyed brunch and more conversation.