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Yet that's exactly what happened when a clip from the Dominican Sisters Open Mic podcast took off on social media, introducing millions of people to a group of American religious sisters who seem to have an extraordinary capacity for enjoying themselves.
The podcast, hosted by Sr. Miriam Holzman of the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist, in Michigan, features conversations with other sisters about everything from cooking and sports to prayer and religious life.
And while there's plenty of serious discussion, it's the laughter, affectionate teasing, and enthusiastic encouragement that have particularly captured people's attention.
One clip of Sr. Miriam enthusiastically congratulating another sister on her sporting abilities gave the internet the now-famous phrase "Sister, and you are so good at that!" There have been countless comments, fan edits, and even people adopting the sisters' expressions in everyday conversation.
The funniest part?
The sisters don't even use social media themselves. Sr. Miriam told Aleteia earlier this year that she generally has no idea what the production team is posting.
She simply records the podcast, prays, and leaves the rest in God's hands. Not a bad approach to internet fame.
Even a cardinal is paying attention
Their popularity has now reached the Vatican, where Cardinal Timothy Radcliffe recently mentioned the sisters during a conference on artificial intelligence and education.
The British Dominican was discussing the pressures young people face in the digital world when he drew on an observation by Sr. Gemma Simmonds about the sisters' appeal:
"The discovery that you were loved before anyone swiped, checked a profile, or decided whether you were worth their time."
The sisters, meanwhile, seem blissfully unconcerned with their internet fame. They don't even use social media themselves, which makes their popularity all the more ironic. After all, they're pretty busy doing some full-time following of their own!
And while the sisters might be encouraging people to spend less time scrolling, Sr. Miriam has a very good reason for appearing on TikTok. As she previously told Aleteia:
"For the people who are on TikTok, I want our Lord to reach them."
Which pretty much sums up the sisters' overall approach. They may not know much about their latest viral success, but they've certainly found an unexpected way of spreading a little joy, and perhaps introducing a few people to Jesus along the way.