The Catholic Church will host a Jubilee event for digital missionaries and Catholic influencers in Rome on July 28-29, 2025. The event aims to recognize the digital environment as a field of mission. Nearly one thousand digital missionaries from around the world are expected to attend, with a strong representation from Latin America, the Caribbean, and Spain. Parallel virtual events will be available for those unable to travel to Rome. The event coincides with the opening days of the Youth Jubilee, with many young people involved.
25 days ago
The Catholic Church is set to host its inaugural Jubilee event specifically dedicated to digital missionaries and Catholic influencers, formally recognizing the digital sphere as a vital mission field 1 2. This unprecedented gathering will take place in Rome on July 28-29, 2025, coinciding with the opening days of the Youth Jubilee, with many young digital evangelizers participating in both celebrations 1 2.
Organized by the Vatican’s Dicastery for Communication, the Jubilee aims to convene nearly one thousand digital missionaries from across the globe, with a significant presence expected from Latin America, the Caribbean, and Spain 1 2. These participants leverage social media, video platforms, blogs, and apps to creatively and accessibly proclaim the Gospel 1 2. For those unable to travel, virtual participation is available through registration at digitalismissio.org, and key sessions will be livestreamed on the YouTube channel "La Iglesia Te Escucha" 1 2.
This initiative directly responds to Pope Francis’ consistent call to bring the Good News into the digital world and ensure no one is excluded from the Church's synodal journey 1 2. It embodies a missionary Church that actively reaches out to contemporary society's "existential peripheries" 1. The Jubilee also builds upon the successful first global gathering of digital evangelizers held during World Youth Day in Lisbon in 2023, which fostered an international network of missionaries 1 2.
The Jubilee program is structured into three distinct phases: a spiritual pilgrimage through the Holy Door, symbolizing interior renewal and openness to grace; a formative phase featuring keynote presentations, workshops, and testimonies at the Auditorium Conciliazione; and a celebratory festival in Piazza Risorgimento, highlighting art, music, and creativity as tools for evangelization 1 2. A central theme is Pope Francis’ invitation to be "Good Samaritans" in the digital world, fostering compassionate, human, and hopeful communication that listens and disarms divisive language 1 2.
The inclusive and missionary spirit of the Jubilee is encapsulated in its official hymn, "Todos" ("Everyone") 1. This collaborative song by Catholic artists worldwide echoes Pope Francis’ affirmation at World Youth Day in Lisbon: “In the Church, there is room for everyone, everyone, everyone!” 1 2. By formally recognizing digital creators as missionaries, the Church emphasizes that the Gospel belongs wherever people are, including online spaces 2.
How does the Church view evangelization in the digital age?
The Catholic Church views evangelization in the digital age as an indispensable and urgent mission, recognizing new technologies and the internet as significant "digital continents" or "environments" where the Gospel must be proclaimed . This approach is rooted in the Church's perennial duty to spread the Gospel always and everywhere, adapting to the particular circumstances of each historical period .
The Church's perspective on digital evangelization can be understood through several key points:
The core mission of evangelization remains unchanged: to make known the love of God and the Good News of Jesus Christ to all people . Just as the early Apostles brought the Gospel to the Greek and Roman world, today's evangelizers are called to bring it to the digital world . This mission is an expression of the Church's very nature and cannot be overlooked .
The digital world is seen as a new cultural frontier, akin to the Areopagus where St. Paul preached . It presents both opportunities and dangers, requiring a profound knowledge of this environment to effectively serve the Church's mission . The Church must be fearless in crossing this cultural threshold, bringing the truth of Christ to bear upon this new world .
Modern media and digital communication are considered indispensable means for evangelization, enlightening minds and hearts, and contributing to human progress . It would be difficult to suggest that Christ's command to preach the Gospel is being obeyed unless all opportunities offered by modern media are used to reach vast numbers of people .
Evangelization in the digital age is not merely about transmitting content but about promoting a culture of respect, dialogue, and friendship . It involves fostering genuine human relationships that can lead to a personal encounter with the Lord . While online contact can be a starting point, it should ideally lead to direct encounters, community experiences, and even pilgrimages .
There is a particular emphasis on the role of young people and the laity in this new evangelization . Young people, with their natural affinity for new communication means, are encouraged to take responsibility for evangelizing this "digital continent" and to introduce the values of their faith into this new environment . The contribution and testimony of the lay faithful are considered increasingly indispensable .
The digital age presents challenges such as the abandonment of faith in historically Christian societies and the attraction to fundamentalist sects offering quick solutions . However, it also offers precious opportunities for leading people to the luminous face of the Lord . The Church's presence online is deemed indispensable, always with an evangelical style, to stir up fundamental questions about the meaning of life and point to Christ as the answer .
The Church stresses the importance of coherence and unity in expressing faith and witnessing to the Gospel in both physical and digital realities . Christian communicators have a prophetic task to speak out against false idols like materialism and consumerism, and above all, to declare the truth about human life and destiny revealed in Christ . The fundamental question is whether the face and voice of Christ will emerge from this "galaxy of sight and sound" .
In summary, the Church views evangelization in the digital age as a vital continuation of its mission, requiring active engagement, cultural understanding, and authentic witness to bring the Good News of Jesus Christ to a world increasingly shaped by new technologies .