- 12 September, 2026
QUEZON CITY, Philippines, September 12, 2026 — Catholic digital missionaries, communicators and Church leaders from across Asia were urged to make Christ present in the digital world through truth, humility, dialogue and authentic human encounter as the Asian Catholic Digital Missionary Assembly (ACDMA) 2026 continued at Radio Veritas Asia (RVA) in Fairview on September 11.
Held under the theme “Understanding Asian Realities & The Call to Authentic Witnessing,” the assembly explored the changing landscape of digital evangelisation and the responsibility of Catholic communicators to engage Asia’s diverse cultures, languages and social realities.
The opening Mass was presided over by Archbishop Gilbert A. Garcera of Lipa, president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP). Reflecting on his association with RVA, he recalled being appointed Administrative Director by the late Jaime Cardinal Sin following EDSA II.
Archbishop Garcera drew a parallel between RVA’s former shortwave transmitters, which carried the Gospel across mountains, forests and remote communities, and today’s digital platforms, which have become new channels for reaching people across Asia.
He described the assembly’s mission as “whispering Jesus in all of Asia”, stressing that Christian witness should not be marked by loud declarations but by a gentle and respectful presence rooted in humility, dialogue, compassion and accompaniment.
He also cautioned participants about misinformation and the growing influence of artificial intelligence, urging journalists and digital influencers to verify information before publishing and to listen before judging. Clicks, ratings and virality, he said, should never take precedence over truth.
The cultural diversity of Asia was reflected in the Mass through multilingual prayers and symbolic offerings, including a lamp, rosary, seeds, woven cloth, rice, ribbon and cross representing the nations and cultures gathered for the assembly.
Church already part of the digital world
The first plenary session, “Understanding Asian Realities,” featured Bishop Marcelino Antonio “Junie” M. Maralit Jr. of San Pablo, chairman of the FABC Office of Social Communication.
Bishop Maralit challenged the idea that social media is merely a new tool that the Church needs to discover. The Church, he said, is already part of the digital world because billions of Asians—including young people, families, the lonely and marginalised—spend significant portions of their lives in digital spaces.
Describing Asia as a “living symphony” of stories, languages, cultures and civilisations, he placed digital evangelisation within the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (FABC) framework of the triple dialogue: with Asian cultures, with other religions, and with the poor and the common home.
Reminding participants that Jesus Himself was Asian, Bishop Maralit said digital evangelisation should imitate Christ’s way of walking with, listening to and accompanying people. He referred to Jesus’ encounters with Zacchaeus and Bartimaeus and His journey with the disciples to Emmaus as models for digital missionary engagement.
A panel on Asian digital realities brought together Dr Anna Jihyun You, Fr Felmar Fiel, SVD, Fr Cyril Victor Joseph and Miral Atik.
Dr Anna Jihyun You highlighted the Korean experience, noting that internet penetration in South Korea is about 94.7%, while only around 15% of the country’s six million Catholics regularly attend Sunday Mass. She called for a healthier balance between digital and physical life, including simple practices such as handwritten notes to counter growing digital isolation.
Fr Cyril Victor Joseph focused on India’s vast linguistic and cultural diversity. He stressed the need for vernacular digital content capable of reaching people who remain outside the Church’s traditional structures.
He also called for a “phigital” approach that connects digital engagement with physical parish life, particularly as the Church responds to over-digitisation and changing patterns of participation following the pandemic.
Fr Cyril also presented Catholic Connect as an initiative seeking to connect diverse Catholic voices and encourage people encountered online to participate more actively in sacramental and parish life.
Authentic witness over digital popularity
The second plenary session, “Asia and Beyond,” focused on authentic Christian witness in digital ministry.
Fr Columba Jordan, CFR, challenged content creators to move beyond ego, vanity and the fear of remaining small. Drawing on the theology of the body and the reality of human vulnerability, he urged digital missionaries to allow the Word to transform them before they attempt to communicate it to others.
Instead of asking, “What do you want me to say?”, he encouraged participants to ask, “What are you saying to me?”, placing listening and personal transformation at the heart of digital witness.
Dr Nataša Govekar described the digital continent as a major mission territory requiring a synodal approach—walking together, listening before speaking and building communion rather than simply pursuing followers and likes.
The assembly then moved into practical engagement through case studies and workshops. Participants examined editorial board strategies with Alberto Ravagnani and Edwin Lopez, African Synod influencers with Michael Unland, and the emerging concept of “The AI Priest” with Peter Monthienvichienchai.
The discussions were later synthesised in a panel involving mentors and group representatives, alongside opportunities for content creation and networking.
Throughout the day, participants were encouraged to view digital evangelisation not simply as a communication strategy but as a missionary presence grounded in truth, human dignity, communion and authentic encounter.
The assembly called digital missionaries to ensure that their online witness ultimately leads people beyond screens—to deeper relationships, communities of faith and a genuine encounter with Christ.
By Catholic Connect Reporter
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