Portugal and Brazil Catholic Churches Advance Digital Evangelization

In Portugal, the town of Alfândega da Fé hosted the launch of the National Network of Digital Missionaries, a first‑of‑its‑kind initiative that seeks to unite dioceses, parishes, movements, content creators and influencers to strengthen the Church’s presence on social media, podcasts and other digital platforms. The presentation, part of a national meeting planned for September, was organized by the Fundação Cónego Manuel Joaquim Ochôa, the Sanctuary of the Immaculate Heart of Mary of Cereja, and the Diocesan Secretariat of Pastoral Culture and Tourism of the Bragança‑Miranda Diocese. Participants anticipate conferences, testimonies, an ecumenical prayer for digital peace and the signing of a founding charter.

In Brazil, the National Conference of Bishops (CNBB) convened a five‑day meeting of pastoral coordinators from 20–24 July, centering on the General Guidelines for Evangelizing Action and the final document of the recent Synod. Bishops and priests examined topics such as the conversion of relationships, processes and bonds, the role of artificial intelligence in pastoral work, and the theological foundations of synodality. The gathering also launched a dedicated website for the new guidelines.