%0 Journal Article %J Journal of Media and Religion %D 2007 %T The Use of Internet Communication by Catholic Congregations: A Quantitative Study %A Cantoni, L %A Zyga, S %K Catholic %K Catholic religious congregations %K Computer %K congregations %K Contemporary Religious Community %K cyberspace %K email %K internet %K internet communication through an e-mail account %K Mass media %K network %K New Media and Society %K new media engagement %K New Technology and Society %K online communication %K Online community %K religion %K religion and internet %K Religion and the Internet %K religiosity %K religious engagement %K religious identity %K Religious Internet Communication %K Religious Internet Communities %K sociability unbound %K Sociology of religion %K users’ participation %K virtual community %K virtual public sphere %K “media research” %K “religion online” %K “religious media research” %X This article presents a first attempt to measure the use of the internet by all 5,812 Catholic religious congregations and autonomous institutes worldwide (with 858,988 members). The research was conducted through a questionnaire sent by e-mail, hence first selecting those institutions which at least have an access to internet communication through an e-mail account (2,285: 39.3% of the total), receiving 437 responses (19.1% of the e-mail owners). The study shows great differences between centralized institutes and autonomous ones: the former ones make a higher use of the Internet than the latter ones; moreover, differences are also found among centralized institutes, namely between male and female ones. Two explanatory elements have been found, both depending on the own mission (charisma) of institutes: (1) first, the different approach to the external world: the institutes more devoted to contemplation and less active in the outside world make limited and basic use of the Internet, if any; (2) second, institutes whose aim is to assist poor and sick persons tend to use the internet less than the others, due to their different prioritization of resources. %B Journal of Media and Religion %V 6 %P 291-309 %G eng %U http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15348420701626797#.Uinxtsasim5 %N 4