Today, it is inspiring to witness thousands of people, lay and consecrated, young and old, using social media to share the Gospel. Every day, countless posts appear online, sharing Scripture verses and messages of faith, often sent by people we may never meet.
On July 29, 2025, Pope Leo XIV welcomed these influencers and digital missionaries (IDMs) at St Peter’s Basilica. He urged them to renew their mission with three powerful invitations:
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Bring Christian hope to social networks.
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Recognise the suffering face of Christ in those encountered online.
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“Go and repair the nets,” as the first apostles mended their fishing nets, by weaving networks of love, relationships, and genuine friendship.
“Go and repair the networks” means that digital missionaries are called to be in the world but not of the world. Their presence online should mirror the Gospel and the Kingdom values, not trigger the drive for fame or gain.
Becoming an Influencer – Does It Really Matter?
A recent controversy illustrates this tension. Don Alberto Ravagnani, a 32-year-old Milanese priest with 270,000 followers, went viral when one of his Instagram Reels, viewed over 450,000 times—featured him promoting a supplement for active lifestyles, a paid advertisement. The reactions were swift and divided. Many criticised him: “You’ve crossed the line, Don. A priest must do other things.” “You’re becoming like Fedez; we don’t need this.” “Next step? Ads during the homily?” Others defended him passionately: “If all priests were like you, I’d be a saint.” “Finally, a Church for the youth!”
Don Alberto responded: “Taking care of myself is a way to respect the health God gave me. The sponsor’s money supports evangelisation projects. Be honest, prayer alone is not enough.” However, diocesan authorities intervened, reminding him of Canon Law, which forbids priests from engaging in business or commercial activity. “A priest,” they said, “must be a presence of God among people, not a figure of the market.”
This case poses a crucial question for all Christians, especially those involved in digital evangelisation: How should a digital missionary act today? A genuine digital missionary uses media to communicate the Gospel, to cultivate authentic relationships, and to bear witness through life, not through products. Popularity should radiate Christ’s message, never overshadow it.
Authentic Witness vs Algorithmic Pressure
This is the tension every digital missionary faces. Social media rewards visibility and originality. To stand out, one must constantly post something new, not just by creating content but also by being creative in style. Yet this race for attention can shift focus from genuine witness to mere performance. Every Catholic influencer should pause and ask two honest questions before posting: Am I too concerned about the number of followers? Am I giving more space to others than to myself?
Perhaps only those with small audiences, often the dedicated digital missionaries, can afford such freedom. For most, social media operates under the same ruthless logic as the secular world. To remain visible, one must be self-promoting; and even apparent humility can become another form of performance. Those who resist this cycle risk fading into obscurity. This pressure gives rise to what moral theologians call the idolatry of the self, the illusion of digital identity. It is a modern form of FOMO (fear of missing out), a symptom of forgetting that our worth does not come from numbers but from being loved by God.
Go and Repair the Nets
Therefore, the invitation to “go and repair the networks” echoes Christ’s command in the Gospel: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations” (Mt 28:19). Just as the first disciples were sent into the world to proclaim the Good News, present disciples of Christ are sent into the digital world, a new “shore” where countless sheep without shepherds dwell, search, and thirst for meaning. Like Peter, called by Jesus to “feed my sheep” (Jn 21:17), digital missionaries are entrusted with the care of souls who wander online, often lost in noise, loneliness, and superficiality.
To repair the networks, then, is to heal broken relationships and distorted images that dominate the digital realm. It means restoring authenticity to our online presence, making the digital space a place for mission, not competition. It means using technology to serve truth, beauty, and communion, not to build personal empires. Digital missionaries are called to be signs of God’s presence in a congested world. Their mission is not to go viral, but to make Christ visible, through creativity, humility, and love.
In the end, the best digital mission is not measured by clicks, likes, followers, or subscribers, but by hearts touched, lives transformed, and communities reformed.
