Philippine Church calls for prayers, as well as social and digital media fasting during Lent
In a pastoral letter, the bishops invite the faithful to “renew their hearts through prayer, fasting, and works of mercy." Today, fasting also means “detaching from whatever distracts our hearts from God.” For the bishops, “In stepping back from digital excess, we reclaim interior silence, deepen relationships, and rediscover God's presence in daily life”.
Manila (AsiaNews) – The Catholic bishops of the Philippines released a pastoral letter last Friday titled “Fasting Beyond Food: Inviting Christ into Digital Media Use” for the period of penance and prayer leading up to Easter.
In it, they say: “As we approach the holy season of Lent 2026, the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) invites all the faithful to renew their hearts through prayer, fasting, and works of mercy.”
In the Gospel, Jesus says that fasting is not for show, but rather an intimate offering to God, who sees what is done in secret and rewards sincerity of heart.
In their statement, the bishops note that it is necessary to look beyond traditional fasting.
“In our present time, fasting must also address new realities shaping human life. One of the greatest influences today is digital media. Thus, we invite the faithful to undertake a Digital Media Fast as a contemporary expression of conversion and renewal,” reads the letter, signed by the CBCP president, Archbishop Gilbert Garcera of Lipa.
“Fasting has traditionally meant abstaining from food as an act of repentance and spiritual focus. Yet fasting also means detaching from whatever distracts our hearts from God. Today, constant engagement with phones, social media, streaming, gaming, and online entertainment often absorbs our attention and weakens our interior life,” the bishops say in their letter.
“True fasting, as Jesus teaches, is not an external performance but an interior conversion. Digital media fasting, therefore, invites a rediscovery of silence, prayer, contemplation, and authentic relationships. It is not meant to punish the body but to free the heart,” they add.
For the prelates, fasting from digital media is a necessity of our times since technology has become an integral part of life in the modern world.
“Technology is a blessing when used responsibly, yet excessive media use often leads to distraction, fatigue, loss of focus, weakened relationships, and diminished spiritual awareness,” the letter notes.
“Constant connectivity leaves little room for silence and reflection. Many struggle to be present to God and others because screens constantly demand attention. Digital media fasting helps restore balance and reminds us that technology must serve human life and not dominate it.”
Explaining the spiritual purpose of their request, the bishops’ letter says: “Digital media fasting is not simply about giving something up. It is about making room for something better.”
To engage in media fasting, the bishops offer some helpful suggestions: no phone before bed and upon waking, time limits on social media and streaming use, device-free eating and meetings, occasional 24-hour or weekend digital fasts, removal of distracting apps, replacing screen time with prayers, service, reading, and conversation, and inviting Christ into one’s media use.
“Digital media fasting is not anti-technology,” the letter explains. "Rather, it is to ensure how Christ guides one’s use of media."
The fruits of fasting from digital media, according to the bishops, include a deeper relationship with God through renewed prayers, greater mental clarity and concentration, and emotional peace through freedom from constant stimulation.
Furthermore, better rest and renewed physical energy, stronger family and community relationships, and a renewed appreciation for creation and real-life encounters.
Jesus “calls us to fast not with gloomy faces but with joyful hearts seeking renewal. In stepping back from digital excess, we reclaim interior silence, deepen relationships, and rediscover God's presence in daily life,” the bishops say.
According to data from "We Are Social" (February 2025), the Philippines continues to lead the global rankings in daily social media use, with an average of three hours and 32 minutes spent online per day.
This places the country just behind South Africa and ahead of Brazil, making Filipinos some of the most connected social media users in the world.
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31/03/2023 18:00
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