«Hechos 29» Kicks Off in Costa Rica: First Steps Toward Building Bridges Between the Screen and the Community

With the goal of connecting the digital world with church community life, San José is hosting the sixth edition of “Acts 29” this week. The event brings together digital evangelizers from more than 20 countries in the Americas, Europe, and Asia to share experiences and gifts and to discern together new paths for mission in the digital world.

“Being and Doing the Church”

This first opening day laid the groundwork for what will be an intense week of work, prayer, and fellowship. Father José Juan Montalvo (“Father Borre”) reminded participants that the experience consists of “being and making the Church,” emphasizing that the most valuable content that can be shared on social media is none other than the authentic witness of a community that knows how to love one another. “May these days be about fewer screens and more eye contact,” he urged, proposing that participants live out the gathering through five key attitudes: seeking, listening, getting to know, finding, and sharing—far removed from any spirit of competition.

This communion became evident from the very beginning in the diversity of the participants. Unity in faith, spirit, and apostolic zeal blends harmoniously with the wide variety of personalities, interests, and opinions that come together in online evangelization.

Just as unity in God is infinite personal love—the Holy Spirit—so too are all expressions of unity and diversity called to be enlivened by charity.

Unity and Diversity

Only through that supernatural love do even opposing viewpoints and personal limitations cease to be a cause of division and become a shared treasure.

Likewise, our prayer for one another—lived out within the unity of the Church—directs these days toward the horizon that the Lord has set before us: “May they all be one, just as You, Father, are in me and I am in You” (Jn 17:21).

Connection Beyond the Screen

The opening of the event concluded with the celebration of Holy Mass presided over by Monsignor Daniel Francisco Blanco Méndez, auxiliary bishop of San José and coordinator of the communications center of the CELAM. In his homily, he warned against the temptation to replace Christ with one’s own image or with the tyranny of metrics and “likes.”. 

Technology is a valuable tool, but Jesus remains the undisputed center. With this as our starting point, “Acts 29” kicks off a decisive week to renew our commitment to fostering fellowship and leading people—beyond the screen—to a living encounter with the Lord.