MACAU (RVA News): Gethsemani Cindy Gorospe, social communication coordinator at Radio Veritas Asia [RVA], called on the Church hierarchy to officially recognise, mentor, and integrate young content creators into formal pastoral structures, urging Asian bishops to make real space for digital missionaries.
Gorospe presented the outcome and future roadmap of the First Asian Catholic Digital Missionaries Assembly [ACDMA] on October 29 in the conference hall at St. Jose Villa in Macau during the annual FABC Office of Social Communication (FABC-OSC) Assembly, held from October 27-31.
The Filipino led the core organising committee for the ACDMA, held from September 10-13 at RVA headquarters in Manila. Working under FABC-OSC chairperson, Bishop Marcelino Antonio “Junie” Maralit Jr.; RVA general manager, Divine Word Father Felmar Fiel; and programme director, Father John Mi Shen; she helped gather over 100 creators from 17 Asian countries.
Drawing from her ongoing accompaniment of these creators, Gorospe highlighted a persistent gap between independent digital creators and local Church leadership.
Asia’s digital missionaries have gathered, shared their hearts, and renewed their commitment to Christ. As leaders of the Church’s communication office in Asia, what is our next step in accompanying this mission?
Gethsemani Cindy Gorospe
She emphasised that young missionaries do not want to operate in isolation; they desperately seek direct channels to bishops for spiritual discernment, canonical guidance, and pastoral protection.
“There is an urgent call for Church integration,” Gorospe said, challenging the assembly. “Local Churches and bishops’ conferences must officially integrate digital creators, listening to them, mentoring them, and giving them real space to act.”
Beyond creating space, she also stressed the need for an institutionalised support system. She noted that digital communicators face severe mental fatigue, isolation, and political risks in repressive environments. To address these challenges, she proposed establishing a dedicated FABC-OSC committee and a comprehensive training matrix covering theology, spiritual resilience, creative strategy, media production, and operational management.
Looking ahead to World Youth Day 2027 in Seoul, South Korea, Gorospe urged leaders to view young creators as co-workers in the Church’s mission.
Concluding her presentation, the young leader directly challenged the Asian bishops: “Asia’s digital missionaries have gathered, shared their hearts, and renewed their commitment to Christ. As leaders of the Church’s communication office in Asia, what is our next step in accompanying this mission?”
The regional gathering brought together Asian bishops, priests, and communication delegates under the theme, “Magnifica Humanitas and the Synodal Ways of Evangelisation in Asia: Communicating Christ in the Age of Artificial Intelligence.” The assembly coincides with preparations for the 450th anniversary of the Diocese of Macau.
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