Each unique recording presents a mini-capsule explaining virtue or the spiritual life by means of the concrete events of daily life.

August 18, 2011. Among the many initiatives launched recently to reach out to young people online and on the air is a podcast series called Spiritual Soundbytes. A modest beginning from a Legionary brother who thought it might be a helpful way to bring the Gospel to some of his contacts, the Soundbytes take scenes from Br Peter Huynh’s daily life, background noises included, and draws an analogy to a simple lesson in virtue or faith. The lessons have to be concrete and short, since Br Peter’s audience is a group of elementary school children spread across the US and Canada.

In the following short interview, Br Peter shares some thoughts about the potential of the new media as a complementary way to reach out to today’s youth.

Q: Kids today are immersed in media. Do you think we need to find new ways to evangelize so as to “speak their language”?

Br Peter Huynh, LC: We definitely need to find a way to reach out to connect to the youth nowadays.  By the time our youth people are in their teens, they are well embedded into the society, networked and connected virtually.  We need to go where the youth are today: on Facebook, on the Internet, at coffee shops and texting to their friends, Skyping their buddies, in the gym with their iPod...   And without neglecting traditional person-to-person means, it is precisely out there that we can reach the youth and show them the way to Christ. 

Q: You have already prepared several dozen spiritual soundbytes, short audio files to help small children grasp the basics of faith and virtue through concrete images and experiences. What other ideas would you like to pursue in the future?

Br Peter Huynh, LC: From the comments from the parents and the teachers who download these Spiritual Soundbytes made for 2nd – 5th graders, I learned that adults are also affected by these Spiritual Soundbytes. I’ve been wanting to do something for young adults and I thought of how there is often a period of silence in the car on the way to work, school, or the grocery store.  This could be a great moment for busy people to connect with God.  I’d like to help people turn their car time into prayer time with a series of directed morning prayers and meditations on CDs or downloadable MP3s they can pop into their system.  I’m thinking about calling it “Morning Drive.”

Q:  What have you found to be some of the most inspiring and creative forms of evangelization that have touched you personally? 

Br Peter Huynh, LC: Well, when I heard that the Pope had his own Facebook and Twitter accounts, I was impressed.  It was inspiring to read about the Holy Father’s decision to reach out to the young people where they are more comfortable. But I was most inspired by a Christmas season CD called “The Voice of a Child.”  On the CD, kids explained the mystery of Christmas in their own terms.  It was so simple, yet so profound.  They spoke from the heart and their child voices conveyed their innocence and their view of the mystery of the Incarnation.  I asked myself, if kids can do that and touch dozens of souls during Christmas, then why am I not reaching out like this?

The Spiritual Soundbytes can be accessed at on the Regnum Christi web site at this link. Br Peter Huynh also guided the creation of a Stations of the Cross booklet featuring children’s illustrations of the fourteen stations.