“Guiding young hearts to God with the same passion Blessed Carlo Acutis showed for God and technology.” That was the phrase I offered in response to the Vatican’s Dicastery of Communication, which asked each participant to describe their digital mission before arriving at the first Jubilee of Digital Missionaries and Catholic Influencers July 28-29, held at Rome’s Auditorium Conciliazione and St. Peter’s Basilica.
I felt called to participate in the jubilee as part of my commitment to a deeply personal invitation from the soon-to-be St. Carlo Acutis — known affectionately as the “jeans and sneakers” saint — to share his legacy of faith, love, generosity, and the responsible use of technology with the Young Church. The jubilee helped me recognize my digital presence as a space of mission, where I can draw young people to encounter Acutis’ spiritual and social values, and be inspired to live by them.
As we heard repeatedly at the jubilee, digital evangelization is not just about creating religious content — it is about crafting digital encounters of hearts that echo the Gospel, cultivate relationships, foster community, and create moments where the presence of God is felt and shared.
The friendly hum of collective anticipation greeted me as I arrived at the jubilee. Msgr. Lucio Adrián Ruiz, Secretary of the Dicastery of Communication, reminded us that the event promised “reflection, listening, dialogue, instruction, and discernment in the face of the ‘change of epoch’ that we are experiencing.” The truth is, neither the Vatican nor the participants knew what this unprecedented encounter would be like.
As I stepped into the auditorium, I found my seat next to Patrick, a 22-year-old from Poland. Behind me sat middle-aged Father Joel with his friend from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Estibaliz, from Mexico. To my right were Sisters Shirley and Elba, two young nuns from Colombia traveling with a lively group of pilgrims.
The place was buzzing — 1,000 of us packed in, smartphones in hand, surrounded by this beautiful mix of age groups, cultures, and stories. We had come to celebrate Christ, and witness the Church officially embracing the digital era — one without borders, grounded in the Gospel, fueled by communication and alive on social media and digital creativity.
Following a Mass celebrated by Cardinal Luis Tagle at St. Peter’s Basilica, Pope Leo XIV — himself a social media missionary and influencer — made a surprise visit that deeply moved all in attendance. In his brief but powerful address, Leo urged us to journey with Jesus and to rediscover meaningful human connection, even amid the vulnerability of suffering and uncertainty. He exhorted us to “be good Samaritans on the web,” reminding us that it is up to each of us to ensure that the digital culture remains human:
“But nothing that comes from man and his creativity should be used to undermine the dignity of others. Our mission — your mission — is to nurture a culture of Christian humanism, and to do so together.”
Carlo’s phrase “Not I, but God” captures the heart of Leo’s message to digital missionaries and influencers: decenter yourself, and let God be the protagonist of your life and your digital mission.
Digital evangelization is a culture — an invisible network of faith. It is not a technical act, but a profoundly spiritual and relational one, flowing from a heart touched by grace. The Jubilee of Digital Missionaries and Catholic Influencers gave us a renewed sense of mission and a commitment to nourish Christian hope in social networks and online spaces. Let us be light in the digital world!
