Digital Missionaries in Brazil Celebrate Their Jubilee: Spreading Faith via Communication
A Historic Gathering of Digital Catholic Evangelists
In a groundbreaking move, the Dicastery for Communication of the Catholic Church is hosting the Jubilee of Digital Missionaries and Catholic Influencers in Rome this July. This unprecedented event brings together nearly a thousand digital missionaries and Catholic influencers from around the world, marking a significant recognition of the vital role these individuals play in spreading the faith in the digital age.
Among the esteemed participants are renowned digital missionaries who have made a significant impact on social media and other digital platforms, such as:
- Adriano Zandoná
- Ada Ehi
- Padre Guilherme
- Bishop Robert Barron
- Sachin Jose Ettiyil (Founder of @frassati_digital_, with 147.2K Instagram followers)
- Przemyslaw Wojcik (@chicagopriest, 118.6K followers)
- Chris Stefanick (@chris.stefanick, 115.8K followers)
- Fr. Rafael Capo (@fathercapo, 110.7K followers), a Papal Missionary of Mercy
- Chris Lewis (@barituscatholic, 103.7K followers), a Catholic illustrator
This gathering is a response to Pope Francis' call during the Synod on Synodality for Catholics to actively engage in the Church’s mission, particularly through new media. Msgr. Lucio Ruiz, Secretary of the Dicastery for Communication, highlighted that these digital missionaries are not just influencers but "Good Samaritans on the web," dedicated to sharing faith, healing wounds, and reaching people where they are — on their screens.
The event coincides with the broader Jubilee of Youth, expecting over half a million young pilgrims from 146 countries, including war-torn regions such as Ukraine, the Middle East, Syria, Gaza, and Iran. This emphasis on peace and fraternity underscores the importance of these gatherings in fostering unity and understanding among the faithful.
Notable participants include Felipe Michelon Padilha, who has been part of the communication team for the National Vocational Year in Brazil and the Production Working Group of the Pastoral da Comunicação in the country. He is also the founder of the Santa Carona School, a major digital apostolate center in Brazil for laypeople’s formation. His digital mission reaches over 4 million people each month on his social media platforms.
Another participant is Lisiane Mazzurana, a catechist from Brazil who manages the Catechesis Mediated page. She is currently living in Italy for a doctoral course. Lisiane's digital mission is to catechize at all times and places.
Guilherme Augusto Barbosa das Merces, a catechist and digital missionary for 11 years, is another significant figure in this event. He is the founder of Santa Zuera, the oldest active Catholic podcast in Brazil, and leads the "La Iglesia Te Escucha" project, a Vatican initiative to strengthen the digital mission and listen to the voices of the faithful in the online environment.
Felipe Michelon Padilha, a communication specialist from Caxias do Sul, is another participant who will be in Rome for the Jubilee of Digital Missionaries. He founded RUAH Comunicação, an agency specializing in ecclesiastical communication, 10 years ago.
Those not present in Rome can follow the program in online mode. The event combines three distinct moments: the spiritual phase with the passage through the Holy Door, the formation phase, and a festival.
According to Guilherme Augusto Barbosa das Merces, this Jubilee offers an opportunity for missionaries from all over the world to meet and exchange ideas, providing insights into digital missions in other countries and the difficulties faced by missionaries. He believes this event will offer an opportunity to overcome barriers and connect with people from all over the world.
For Lisiane Mazzurana, the Jubilee of Digital Missionaries offers a unique opportunity to celebrate, form, and inspire those called to evangelize on digital platforms. She views this event as an opportunity to learn, grow, and strengthen her mission to catechize at all times and places.
In conclusion, the Jubilee of Digital Missionaries and Catholic Influencers is a historic event that brings together a diverse, global network of digital Catholic evangelists recognized for their impactful online presence and mission-driven content. This gathering celebrates their contribution to modern evangelization and the Church’s digital outreach.
- The gathering, a part of the Jubilee of Youth, aims to foster unity and understanding among the faithful, with over half a million young pilgrims from 146 countries attending, including those from war-torn regions like Ukraine, the Middle East, Syria, Gaza, and Iran.
- The esteemed participants in the Jubilee of Digital Missionaries and Catholic Influencers, such as Adriano Zandoná, Lisiane Mazzurana, and Guilherme Augusto Barbosa das Merces, are not just influencers but "Good Samaritans on the web," dedicating their online presence to sharing faith, healing wounds, and reaching people where they are, on their screens.
- Online education and learning resources are essential aspects of the event, as participants like Felipe Michelon Padilha and Chris Stefanick share their insights and experiences in the digital evangelism, offering opportunities for global exchange of ideas and overcoming barriers in connecting with people from various countries.
