Ensayo del Musical ‘Si Jesús hubiera tenido Instagram’

February 19, 2025 - What would Jesus have done if he'd had Instagram? This is the premise of the musical "If Jesus Had Instagram." Would he have created a profile on this social network, the third largest in the world in terms of active users, to spread the Gospel? If you ask Goyo Casado, a priest from the Archdiocese of Valladolid and co-director of the project along with Sergio Merino, a teacher and musician, he answers without hesitation that Jesus would have used Instagram "to do good." This musical will bring more than 6,000 students between the ages of eight and fourteen from 93 public and private schools in five provinces of Castile and León—Valladolid, León, Salamanca, Palencia, and Zamora—to the stage between May and June, according to the production company Cantamor. Among them are students from the Diocesan School of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. In classrooms, rehearsals for the 10 songs, which will be accompanied by gestures, began months ago. Work has also been underway on teaching units that emphasize the responsible use of social media and the internet "from a religious perspective." This Wednesday, the more than one hundred teachers involved in the project received training in the Experimental Hall of the Miguel Delibes Cultural Center to "polish" some details before its performance. The Archbishop of Valladolid, Luis Argüello, who readily joined the teachers snapping his fingers to a swing rhythm, welcomed the project and conveyed his gratitude, and that of the bishops of neighboring dioceses, "to everyone" for having embraced "the ongoing challenge of bringing the Gospel to formats that can renew its proclamation," given the "risk," as he acknowledged, that this "good news" could "grow old." The prelate from Valladolid also emphasized the “collaboration” involved in launching this musical, both between “close and dear” dioceses, through their Education offices, and between private and state-run schools. “This is also good news,” he stressed. “As is promoting initiatives that decide to launch something offered to others,” he continued. At this point, Bishop Argüello wanted to highlight the importance of “the Faith and life of the Church becoming culture, also a culture of initiative,” through cultural proposals like this one “that can be attractive to the men and women of today.” A Network of Love Inspired by Jesus The story of the musical, which will be performed by the students accompanied by professional actors and live musicians, begins when Juan receives a mobile phone for his 16th birthday. Father Goyo Casado, who also teaches at Colegio San José, explains that they had identified a “need” in the classroom to “help” their students use social media and the internet appropriately. Using the character of Vera, the Religion teacher Juan turns to for guidance in his relationship with new technologies, the musical delves into the “dark side” of social media. “We (Sergio and I) saw,” Casado explains, “that from our vocations as priests, teachers, and musicians, we could help shape hearts and provide a tool for classrooms and families.” The musical offers a way to learn through current sounds—not just swing, but also pop and reggaeton—and lyrics inspired by the message of Jesus, which, as Sergio Merino concludes, singing the title track, “would give away a thousand kisses with those stories. It would cover the internet with love.”