Every year, as Lent begins, the question always comes up: What are you giving up? For many, it’s sweets, coffee, or social media. This year, I’m making a bigger decision—I’m stepping away from Meta entirely. That means no more Facebook, Instagram, Threads or WhatsApp.

Why? Because I’ve been paying attention to what’s happening with these platforms, and it doesn’t sit right with me anymore. With Meta scaling back moderation, prioritizing profit and growth over user well-being and social responsibility, and turning my timeline into a mess of ads and AI-generated junk, I realized: This isn’t a place I want to be anymore.

At first, I hesitated. Facebook is a big way I stay in touch with parishioners and promote my content. But then I looked at the numbers. All my efforts—posting daily, creating polished graphics, engaging with people—didn’t actually increase my reach or podcast audience. It wasn’t helping me, and worse, I felt stuck there out of obligation.

So I decided: This Lent, I’m taking a step back. Instead of passively feeding Meta’s business model, I’m investing my time in channels that help me reach new people and grow community, like BlueSky, Mastodon, YouTube, Discord and my own website. Will I miss the Meta platform? Maybe. But I think it will be freeing.

Lent isn’t just about giving something up; it’s about making room for something better. Maybe this is a good time for all of us to reflect: Is social media enriching my life, or is it just consuming my time?

🎧 Listen to the full episode for more thoughts on this, plus reflections on Lent, digital detoxing, and how we can reclaim our attention.

Fr. Roderick

P.S. Join my Discord community if you would like to share your thoughts about the programs that I make: https://discord.gg/ucQmZ6uj2V