Ferdinand Ulrich’s Concept of Being: Reimagining Catholic Purpose in the Age of Social Media

Ferdinand Ulrich’s Concept of Being: Reimagining Catholic Purpose in the Age of Social Media

Religion and Social Communication Vol. 24, No. 1 (2026)
ISSN 3057-0883 (Online)

Author

Jhoven Isaac Taguitag
Department of Religion,
School of Teacher Education and Liberal Arts,
Saint Louis University, Philippines
Email: vhenisaac02@gmail.com

Abstract

Ferdinand Ulrich’s concept of Being explores and describes Being as a gift rooted in God’s love. This paper explores how Ulrich’s philosophy can serve as a guide for Catholics in finding meaning and deeper purpose in today’s era driven by social media. Social media has caused negative effects on the lives of many, sometimes leading to inappropriate and misleading content, narcissism, and social media addiction. These issues destroy authentic human existence and Catholic values. Ulrich’s conception of Being as God’s gift of love offers a renewed perspective for recognizing the true meaning of Catholic existence amidst these challenges. His teachings remind individuals that existence is meant to lead toward true Being. By applying Ulrich’s concepts, Catholics can approach social media with values rooted in love and charity rather than selfish motives and inauthentic living. Drawing from Ulrich’s concept of Being as God’s gift of love, this paper argues for a renewed Catholic perspective that encourages authentic connection, self-giving, and transcendence beyond self-centered and materialistic tendencies fostered by social media. The study takes a philosophical-theological interpretative approach using Ulrich’s metaphysics as a lens to reimagine Catholic purpose in engaging with social media.

Keywords

social media, being, likeness of divine goodness, Catholic purpose

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Pages: 205–221

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.62461/JIT112026

Submitted, Accepted & Published Dates

Submitted: June 2, 2025
Accepted: November 20, 2025
Published: January 1, 2026

Cite this article

Taguitag, Jhoven Isaac. “Ferdinand Ulrich’s Concept of Being: Reimagining Catholic Purpose in the Age of Social Media.” Religion and Social Communication 24, no. 1 (2026): 205–221. https://doi.org/10.62461/JIT112026.

Copyright & License

© 2026 The authors. This is an open access article under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).