The Jubilee of Communications has been the first major event on the Jubilee agenda for this year, 2025. As Claretian missionaries, some of us have had the opportunity to participate and witness the epochal change we are experiencing, as well as the urgent need to embrace the digital continent as a space for mission. We cannot remain indifferent to this reality, where so many people seek meaning, companionship, and answers. Communication is not merely a tool but an essential dimension of our evangelising vocation. The digital continent is a true space for evangelisation.
From digitalising pastoral ministry to true digital pastoral ministry
Over recent years, the Church has expanded its efforts to digitalise pastoral ministry. We have livestreamed celebrations, shared formation content, and used social media to make Christ’s message present. But this is not enough. It is not just about adapting what we already do to digital environments; rather, we must develop a genuine digital pastoral ministry. It is not sufficient to simply share religious content or broadcast our celebrations. We are called to create evangelisation initiatives shaped by the characteristics of this continent—adapting our formats, timing, and messages so that we can truly become part of this space.
This new landscape demands creativity and boldness. All of us are called to participate according to our possibilities. However, as with any specific mission, the time will come when certain individuals will need to be fully dedicated to this task. Evangelising in the digital continent is no longer a hobby for spare moments; it is an integral part of our mission.
Protagonists of the digital mission
Although everyone is present in some way on social media, only a few become truly specialised in this field. Within this context, we can distinguish two key figures in digital evangelisation: Catholic influencers and digital missionaries, or “cybermissionaries.”
Catholic influencers are those who publicly identify as believers and have a wide reach, but evangelisation is not their primary focus. They may share their testimony through their profession, daily life, or commitment to Christian values, yet their main mission is not explicitly to evangelise. An example could be a content creator focused on history who, despite being openly Christian, primarily dedicates their platform to their area of expertise rather than spreading the Gospel directly.
We, on the other hand, are called to be digital missionaries. This means embracing the fact that our presence in the digital world has a clear purpose: to proclaim Christ. It is not about gaining followers or becoming popular, but about being a meaningful evangelical presence in the digital continent. As in any mission, our goal is to create spaces for encounter, generate meaningful content, and open paths for dialogue and growth in faith. This is a shared responsibility, just as vocational youth ministry, healthcare ministry, or other pastoral initiatives have been in the past. While some of us may specialise in this area, it remains a responsibility for the entire Claretian community.
A commitment that challenges us
It does not matter whether we manage institutional accounts, create content, or simply engage on social media through our vocation. We are called to take on this responsibility with joy and dedication, with discernment, formation, and above all, with the fire of the Spirit. What would happen if every member of our Congregation—more than three thousand people—were to powerfully radiate the Spirit they have received into the digital continent?
Let us press forward, with the same zeal that inspired our Founder, Saint Anthony Mary Claret, but now using new languages and pathways to proclaim the Kingdom.
Fr. José Enrique, CMF
