Over 100 Catholic digital communicators, content creators, and faith influencers from across Asia gathered at the Radio Veritas Asia campus in Quezon City from September 10–13 for the inaugural Asian Catholic Digital Missionary Assembly. Held under the theme “Influencers to Witnesses: Synodal Way for Digital Mission in Asia,” the four-day event focused on building collaboration, providing ongoing formation, and establishing a unified vision for digital evangelization throughout the continent.
The historical assembly was jointly organized by the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences Office of Social Communication (FABC-OSC) and Radio Veritas Asia, in partnership with the Vatican Dicastery for Communication’s Fully Present Network. Highlighting the global Church’s support, Pope Leo XIV extended a message signed by Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin, urging participants to cultivate their online presence as authentic witnesses of Jesus Christ. Opening the assembly, Archbishop Gilbert Garcera of Lipa emphasized that digital ministry must prioritize close personal connection, active listening, and gentle service over loud rhetoric.
Delivering the keynote address, Bishop Marcelino Antonio “Junie” Maralit, Jr., Chairman of the FABC-OSC, underscored that digital spaces are active environments where millions search for meaning and relationships. He outlined five crucial paradigm shifts for the modern digital ministry: transitioning from content to encounter, audiences to communities, virality to fidelity, competition to collaboration, and influence to witness—reminding participants that social media ultimately serves as an entry point to lead people to the Eucharist.
The assembly concluded on Sunday with a closing Mass presided over by Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David, Bishop of Kalookan. Addressing the polarization often fueled by online algorithms, Cardinal David challenged the continent’s digital missionaries to act as peacemakers: countering anger with courage, contempt with dignity, and division by becoming bridges for communion.