Manila: More than 100 Catholic digital missionaries, communicators, content creators and faith influencers from across Asia have been encouraged to use their online influence to build communities, promote collaboration and offer authentic Christian witness.
The call came during the first Asian Catholic Digital Missionary Assembly, held from September 10 to 13 at the Radio Veritas Asia campus in Quezon City, Philippines.
Held under the theme “Influencers to Witnesses: Synodal Way for Digital Mission in Asia,” the four day gathering focused on developing a shared vision for digital evangelisation and strengthening cooperation among Catholic communicators across Asia.
Participants were encouraged to look beyond simply producing online content. The assembly stressed the importance of becoming witnesses whose digital presence is rooted in communion and the missionary dimension of Christian faith.
Pope Leo XIV sent a message to the gathering, signed by Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin, encouraging participants to grow “as authentic witnesses of Jesus Christ in their digital content.”
Nataša Govekar, Director of the Theological Pastoral Department of the Dicastery for Communication, also attended the assembly.
Archbishop Gilbert Garcera of Lipa, President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, delivered the homily at the opening Mass. He urged participants to approach people with closeness, listening, service and a willingness to make the love of Jesus known through their actions.
In his keynote address, Bishop Marcelino Antonio “Junie” Maralit, Jr., Chairman of the FABC Office of Social Communication, said the Church must recognise that people are already living, searching for meaning and forming relationships in digital spaces.
He identified five changes needed for digital mission: moving from content to encounter, from audiences to communities, from virality to fidelity, from competition to collaboration and from influence to witness.
Bishop Maralit also stressed that social media should not become an end in itself, describing it as an “appetizer” while pointing to the Eucharist as the destination.
The assembly was jointly organised by the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences Office of Social Communication and Radio Veritas Asia, in partnership with the Vatican Dicastery for Communication through the Fully Present Network.
Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David, Bishop of Kalookan, presided over the closing Mass on Sunday. Reflecting on forgiveness, he highlighted the challenges created by digital platforms, which can connect millions while also leaving people isolated and dividing users into hostile groups.
He called on participants to respond to anger with courage, contempt with dignity and exclusion by becoming bridges between people.
The gathering concluded with a renewed emphasis on collaboration and a shared commitment to making digital spaces places where people can encounter Christian witness and community.