RVA Program Director Highlights Authentic Witness, Not Content, ahead of First Asian Digital Missionary Assembly

The Church in Asia must look beyond producing more digital content and focus instead on becoming an authentic presence for people seeking meaning, connection and faith, said Fr. John Mi Shen, executive secretary of the FABC Office of Social Communication (OSC) and program director of Radio Veritas Asia (RVA).

Speaking ahead of the first Asian Catholic Digital Missionary Assembly 2026, Fr. Mi Shen said effective digital evangelization should begin with listening and accompaniment rather than simply deciding what message to put online.

“Before asking, ‘What should we communicate?’ we should ask, ‘What are people experiencing? What are they searching for?’” he said.

The assembly, themed “Influencers to Witnesses: Synodal Way for Digital Mission in Asia,” will be held September 10–13 at Radio Veritas Asia in the Philippines, bringing together Catholic digital communicators and influencers from across Asia.

Fr. Mi Shen identified three essential movements for digital mission: listen, accompany and witness.

A video, podcast, Bible reflection or social media post can open the way to an encounter, he said, but the purpose should be to build relationships rather than simply increase content, views or engagement.

“Behind every screen is a person who is looking for meaning, connection, and sometimes simply someone who will listen to them,” he said.

Drawing on RVA’s Mandarin Service and Bible study initiatives serving Chinese-speaking communities, Fr. Mi Shen said digital platforms can overcome geographical and social barriers, connecting people who may have limited opportunities to attend parish activities, meet priests or participate in Bible studies in person.

Online Bible study can become more than the transmission of biblical information, he said, when participants read Scripture together, share experiences, ask questions and support one another.

At the same time, digital ministry should complement rather than replace face-to-face pastoral care.

“Digital ministry is not a replacement for traditional pastoral ministry, but a complement and a bridge,” he said.

Asia’s cultural and religious diversity also requires sensitivity in digital mission. With its many languages and distinct cultural contexts, the continent cannot be effectively addressed simply by translating the same message.

“Translation is important, but inculturation is deeper than translation,” Fr. Mi Shen said.

He said communion does not mean uniformity but requires listening to different communities and learning from their experiences. RVA’s multilingual services, he noted, help Catholics encounter the voices and experiences of other Churches across Asia.

Reflecting on the assembly’s theme, Fr. Mi Shen challenged Catholic communicators to rethink the meaning of influence.

“An influencer normally asks, ‘How many people are following me?’ A witness asks, ‘Whom am I serving, and what am I witnessing to?’” he said.

He stressed that online credibility ultimately depends on the life behind the message.

“If our digital presence is beautiful but our life does not reflect the Gospel, our message will eventually lose its credibility,” he said.

“We should not try simply to become famous for Christ; we should try to make Christ known through our lives.”

Fr. Mi Shen highlighted the role of FABC-OSC and RVA in connecting the Churches of Asia and bringing local voices to wider audiences.

“Platforms will come and go,” he said. “But the mission remains the same: to bring people closer to Christ and to build communion.”

The Asian Catholic Digital Missionary Assembly 2026 will explore how digital spaces can serve as places of synodality, encounter and evangelization, with a particular focus on moving from seeking followers to building relationships and from producing content to becoming authentic witnesses.