In this episode of "Work Your Values," Frank explores the rise of Catholic digital missionaries and their role in modern evangelization. This episode is a call to action for rising voices of digital evangelization, and interesting for anyone interested in the growing movement of online encounter that is leading young and returning, back to the pews in record numbers!

Whether your a digital missionary or just interested in this Holy phenomena, this episode explores the real work, perseverance, importance and perils of this massive and growing "field of mission" as Pope Leo refers to it as. It is fertile ground where young and old, clergy and laity are finding their voice, and working their values. AMDG!

SHOW NOTES

The three articles about Faith &Technology Frank mentions

Part 1: Faith & Tech: Odd Bedfellows

Part 2: Faith & Tech: Called to Preach

Part 3: Faith & Tech: The Mystery of Faith

The Pope's July 2025 address and statements on Christian Humanism that Frank mentions

Catholic Digital Missionaries & Influencers
Christian Humanism - not just creating content, creating an encounter of heart

More about how Sunday to Sunday Productions' mission is to assist and grow the new voices of digital missionary work

How Sunday to Sunday Productions Supports Catholic Digital Missionaries

• Scholarship Opportunity: Sunday to Sunday Productions offers support, media production assistance, and growth strategies to established Catholic digital missionaries through the Father Mike Russo scholarship.
• Criteria
  1. You've been building your voice and audience long enough to show us you have the commitment and a defined evangelization. It doesn't matter if it's writings, or podcasts, or videos, or art - if it's where you're being called to preach and you've proven your committed, that's the first step.
  2. Your voice is informed and well formed. You have a specific audience that you intend to reach. You've reached that audience and it is resonating. We're not going to get caught up in the numbers of followers, but if you have  evidence that your message is resonating with hearts and minds, then that's the second step.
  3. You're open to our approach of how to build an attentive heart that strategically leads to authentic interactions and encounters with Christ in the world, and daily life. We'll look at what you've built, see what infrastructure and strategy you need to take your voice from inspirational to activational. There with you every step of the way.  Check out the CALLED site www.preachingjourney.com and you'll see we create digital and real world opportunities to build community and fellowship not just likes, follows and shares. Committing you mission to building attentive hearts benefits both the missionary (the evangelizer) and the evangelized to co-exist in Christ's love and learn together how everyday is an opportunity to encounter Christ through each other.

If you've read this far, and this feels like it's you, please reach out to me [email protected] or our Director Dominic Ambrosio at [email protected]

EPISODE SUMMARY

Part 1: The Rise of Digital Missionaries

• Diverse Voices: A new wave of Catholic digital missionaries, including priests, laypeople, artists, and podcasters, is emerging on social media with a clear, courageous message.
• A Living Church: These creators are helping people rediscover the sacraments, prayer, and Catholic intellectual tradition, emphasizing that the Church is a living community, not a relic.
• Increasing Engagement: Reports from 2025 and 2026 indicate sharp increases in adults entering the Catholic Church across various dioceses, with digital outreach cited as a significant factor in this trend.
• Historical Precedent: Frank identifies Saint Paul the Apostle as the first "social media influencer," noting that the Holy Spirit has always used people and the available media of their time to spread the Gospel.

Part 2: Papal Support and Guidance

• Affirmation of Digital Mission: On July 29, 2025, Pope Leo addressed digital missionaries, affirming their work as a real field of mission to nourish Christian hope in online spaces.
• Christian Humanism: The Pope emphasized that digital culture must remain human, calling for a "culture of Christian humanism" where witness is authentic and leads to true understanding.
• Authentic Encounter: Missionaries are urged not just to create content for likes and follows, but to foster an "encounter of hearts" and build genuine community.

Part 3: Authentic Digital Mission Work

• Beyond Analytics: Authentic mission work avoids treating people as consumers or metrics; instead, it sees every online interaction as an encounter with a soul.
• Real-World Application: Effective digital ministry serves as a conduit back to real-life engagement, such as parish life, the Eucharist, confession, and vocations.
• Relationship Poverty: Frank highlights "relationship poverty" as a root issue in modern society and argues that digital missionaries are called to foster the real relationships that people are yearning for.

TRANSCRIPT
Click here to view the episode transcript.