CBCI TRAINS REGIONAL DIRECTORS OF SOCIAL COMMUNICATION

With the primary aim to create blueprints for Social Communications in every diocese, CBCI Office for Social Communications (OSC) organised a 4-day Workshop for Diocesan Directors of Social Communications at Nitika Don Bosco, 7-10 January 2015. Fr. George Plathottam, Secretary, CBCI-OSC, was the main speaker. Other resource persons were Fr. Antony Earathara, Fr Robin Gomes, Sunil Lucas and Farrell Shah.

Fr George said that Vatican II documents Inter Mirifica, Communio et Progressio and Aetatis Novae, give utmost importance to social communication in all forms. Media competence is imperative and dioceses should allocate budgets for communicators to acquire relevant digital-friendly skills. This must be built into seminary curriculum, as well. Professional PROs in dioceses and networking with mainstream media, friendly NGOs and personalities was necessary for the Church, and could manage and mitigate crisis.

 Fr. Antony Earathara explained various social media - Wikipedia, Facebook, Twitter, You Tube, etc; Spiritual Apps and real-time streaming of important church events.

Fr Robin spoke on the use of Radio. He said priests need training to improve homilies and keep them 7-10 minutes.

Sunil Lucas spoke on SIGNIS, the only recognised global Catholic media organisation; and the Church’s challenge to make communications interactive, and in-tune with the times. He stressed that non-engagement by priests and bishops in social communications would create a Communication Divide.

Farrell Shah said the Church’s Internet should “warm the hearts of men and women” not just provide dry summaries and data; engage people beyond websites with mobile apps, WebTV, etc, adopting newer uses as they become relevant. He also spoke on Internet security issues.

Each participant created a Draft Pastoral Plan for Social Communication for their diocese, to be shared and taken forward at the diocesan level.

Additionally, CBCI organised a “Workshop for Formators: Communication for Pastoral Leadership,” 13-16 January 2015.