Sandesha, Managaluru: Bishop Henry D’Souza, Chairman, KRCBC Commission for Social Communications and Bishop of Bellary in his message to the Meeting of Diocesan Directors/Secretaries of Social Communications Commission held at Sandesha on June 22, 2022, addressed that the biggest scope in the world is to do better in the future. He added that the Church in this synodal year has offered us a great opportunity to make the entire church a synodal Church through a process of better communication by listening, accompanying and journeying together. He exhorted the Catholic communicators to make a valuable contributions to this process by being at the service of the synodal Church. What breathing is to life, communications would be to human relationships.
Quoting Pope Francis’s message for 56th World Communications Day, Bishop Henry drew the attention to “Listen and search for truth”. He further added that, “Every dialogue, every relationship begins with listening,” as does bearing witness to truth through social communications media. “For this reason, in order to grow — even professionally — as communicators, we must relearn to listen a great deal.” Authentic listening needs “courage, an open and free heart, without prejudices”. “In this time, when the whole church is invited to listen, Bishop invited to rediscover listening as essential for good communication.
Fr. Sudeep Paul, Regional Secretary of Social Communications, KRCBC moderated the session on the basis of pointers given by the Bishop and discussed and deliberated on the following matters;
In order to promote, coordinate, manage and monitor the regular communications activities such as seminars, training programs, festivals etc. effectively at the diocesan and regional levels it was suggested that Media Content for Training would be drafted by 30th of August 2022 and will be made available to all the Dioceses. Professional audio-visual training would be organized in Mangalore and Bangalore through their communication centres.
It was deliberated to organize a media festival at the regional level in the month of November. Karnataka Sandesha will be introduced in a new format as a News Blogsite. Four persons from each diocese would be trained at Sandesha for three days from July 25 to 27, 2022, to report, edit and disseminate news from their respective Dioceses.
The group also decided to conduct a regional-level seminar on the message of Pope Francis for the 57th world communication day on May 21, 2022. It also proposed to promote networking with Diocesan and religious Communication Centres of Karnataka, Diocesan Publications and institutes of communication studies by holding a meeting of all the Heads on November 18th and 23rd at Mangalore and Bangalore respectively.
Dr Cyril Victor, Secretary Ccbi Media Apostolate gave an input session on the different works of CCBI media apostolate and conducted a synod consultation.
All the Diocesan Directors presented their reports on the activities of the commission held in their respective dioceses and also discussed briefly on the objectives of Social Communication Commission of the Regional Pastoral Plan.
Dr. Cyril Victor, Archdiocese of Bangalore, Rayan Gomes, Belgaum Diocese, Fr Sunil Anselm, Bellary Diocese, Fr Lawrence Poonolil, Belthangady Diocese, Fr Anil Lobo, Chikmagalur Diocese, Fr Roshan Dsouza, Gulburga Diocese, Fr Salvadore Rodrigues, Karwar Diocese, Fr Anil Ivan Fernandes, Mangalore Diocese, Fr Sebastian Alexander, Mysore Diocese, Fr John, Puttur Diocese, Fr Ronald Veigas: Shimoga Diocese, Sr Jessy Rita were present.
