Archdiocese News: Parish Media Team Workshop

By Isaac Harold Gomes

Sunday 17^th April 2016, was a red letter day in the annals of Archdiocese of Calcutta – Alignment Programme was held St Anthony’s School from 10 am to 2 pm, for New Parish Media Teams from:

-St Thomas’ Church Middleton Row (6 members)
-St Anthony’s Church Kharagpur (2)
-Infant Jesus Church Behala (9)
-St Ignatius’ Church Kidderpore (2)
-Sacred Heart Church Dharamtalla (5)
-Our Lady of Lourdes Barasat (12).

Total turnout was 37 including a new PMT member from Auxilium Parish PMT.

At the outset, Farrell Shah, Social Communications Director, made it clear that the programme was not a journalism course but was meant to attune Parish Media Teams (PMTs) with the communication norms of the Archdiocese of Calcutta and to equip them for reporting in the Herald and other archdiocesan media including the website archdioceseofcalcutta.in. Also, by the end of the programme they would have the skills to start and run their own parish paper as the first of their PMT activities.

Fr Devraj Fernandes, Editor of The Herald, and a key resource person, said the heart of the Church is communication. The Church’s mission is to communicate the good news and values through the technologies available. As an example he cited Pope Francis who is using the latest means of communication, such as Twitter and Instagram. He said that in a parish communication, interaction with parishioners is very important. A short video on good teamwork/communication was shown, followed by a brief interaction on the need for PMTs.

Fr Dominic Gomes, Vicar General, said Communication is the lifeline and has to be in synchronization with the Archdiocesan Pastoral Plan which touches human lives. Reading, writing and listening were the three key skills of communication which culminates in World Communication Day on Sunday 8th May.

Farrell spoke on the various media options available (News Wall, Newsletters and papers, Email, Flyers, Blogs, websites and social networks Twitter and Facebook). He also spoke on Creating Parish-relevant Content, Team Skills and Techniques Required for Parish Newsletters, which should follow the PREPS method - Photography, Recognition, Events, Prayer Life and Show Case - to be interesting to the parishioners. Sample newsletters Voice of St Mary's (St. Mary’s Ripon Street), Wellspring (Our Lady of Vailankanni), Kingdom (Christ the King) and Auxilium Speaks were shown, their styles and common points dissected. Anatomy of a parish paper, the three components i.e. (1) Content Creators (reporters, photographers, designers and editors (2) Fund Raisers (Advertisement and Donor mobilisers) and (3) Co-ordinators (for follow up with printers and on circulation and sale of newsletters) and self-financing of parish newsletters were also discussed.

The programme ended with each PMT producing on-the-spot newsletters complete with layout, mastheads, newsletter name, logos and short reports. They also shared their plans for self- funding their publications. Each unit described its newborn newsletter, promising the maiden launch in their respective parishes on 8th May 2016, World Communication Day!

Sunil Lucas shared deep insights from his treasure trove on correct communication especially cautioning on not to be swayed by social media chain messages / hypes (e.g. rumour on Pope's visit to India this October). Althea Phillips, Times of India professional, went round to each PMT and gave valuable tips. Angelina Jasnani sponsored the lunch!