Bring Jesus’ Love to Digital World, FABC President Tells Asian Digital Missionaries

Cardinal Filipe Neri Ferrão, president of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (FABC), urged Catholic digital missionaries to bring the love of Jesus Christ into the digital world and use online platforms to build communion rather than seek popularity.

“Use the platforms available to you not simply to gain followers, likes or visibility, but to proclaim Christ, to serve others and to build bridges of communion,” Cardinal Ferrão said in a video message to participants of the First Asian Catholic Digital Missionary Assembly on September 11.

He addressed more than 100 Catholic digital communicators and missionaries from across Asia before the beginning of the afternoon session at the John Paul II Auditorium at the Radio Veritas Asia (RVA) headquarters in Quezon City, Philippines.

The assembly, being held from September 10 to 13, is organized by the FABC Office of Social Communication (FABC-OSC) and RVA, in partnership with the Vatican Dicastery for Communication through the Fully Present Network. It is being held under the theme “Influencers to Witnesses: Synodal Way for Digital Mission in Asia.”

Cardinal Ferrão said participants from different countries, cultures, languages and pastoral settings are united by a common mission: “to bring the love of Jesus Christ into the digital world” and make the Church present where people live, communicate, search for meaning and raise questions.

He described digital spaces as a new mission field where people form relationships, seek meaning and confront some of life’s deepest questions.

“This is why your vocation as Digital Missionary Disciples is so important,” he said, encouraging participants to bring creativity, courage and presence to their digital ministry.

Cardinal Ferrão highlighted the assembly’s central movement from being influencers to becoming witnesses.

“An influencer may attract attention,” he said. “A witness does something deeper. A witness points beyond oneself to Christ.”

For the FABC president, digital witness is not limited to words or religious content. It requires an authentic Christian life that allows the Gospel to shape how digital missionaries speak, listen, respond and accompany others.

He connected this mission with the synodal journey of the Church in Asia.

“Synodality calls us to walk together,” he said, urging digital missionaries to “listen before we speak, to understand before we judge, to accompany before we advise and to collaborate rather than compete.”

Cardinal Ferrão encouraged participants to make digital platforms spaces where people feel heard, welcomed and valued, particularly young people, those searching for meaning, people who are lonely and those who may feel distant from the Christian community.

He urged the missionaries not to be afraid of entering the digital world but to do so “with the heart of Christ.”

“Be creative by being rooted in the Gospel. Be courageous by being humble. Be present, but always point beyond yourself to Jesus,” he said.

The cardinal also expressed hope that the assembly would strengthen communion among digital missionaries and encourage new forms of collaboration across Asia.

“May this assembly strengthen your communion with one another, deepen your missionary vocation and inspire new forms of collaboration across our Asian Church,” he said.

He concluded by entrusting the gathering to God and praying that the assembly would “bear vibrant fruit for the mission of the Church in Asia.”

The First Asian Catholic Digital Missionary Assembly brings together more than 100 Catholic digital communicators from across Asia for four days of formation, reflection and networking on digital evangelization, synodality and authentic Christian witness. The assembly continues in Quezon City through September 13.