Church communicators urged to end silence, be bold

Through examples, Bishop Mascarenhas illustrated how certain issues disappeared when communication on them have been “prompt and effective."

Varanasi:  Indian Church’s top communicators were urged to boldly present Church’s perspective on issues without running away from uncomfortable realities.

Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) secretary general Bishop Theodore Mascarenhas and other experts suggested strategies for Church communicators to “become effective” at a March 11-15 national meeting.

Some 45 people, mostly regional directors of communication, from dioceses across India attended meeting organized by the CBCI office for Social Communications (CBCI-OSC) at Nav Sadhana Pastoral Centre in Varanasi.

Through examples, Bishop Mascarenhas illustrated how certain issues disappeared when communication on them have been “prompt and effective.”

He urged the Church communicators to speak up boldly and incisively on the issues, presenting the church’s perspective and being faithful to its teaching and values.

He said Church’s silence only helps others to change the narrative. But the Church communicators must know “when to speak, and how much and what to say when they do,” the bishop said.

Capuchin Father Suresh Mathew, Editor of Indian Currents stressed the need to fight the trend of fake news while speaking on the subject: Good News vs Fake News -Modern Areopagus at the Service of the Church.

In the thirst to be first, truth has been sacrificed on the altar of “breaking news” in the propagandist mainstream media, he said.

Political parties have understood the impact of “seeing is believing” and have been quick to jump on the bandwagon of social media to push their political agendas.

Political bodies have become “factories of disinformation” and “promoters of fake news”, he said urging Church communicators to take up their job as “a prophetic mission” to speak and stand for truth.

The Church communicator should be “one who announces the good news, but he or she should also be fearless in denouncing all that is wrong in the country and in the Church,” said the capuchin priest.

Father Victor Vijay Lobo, SIGNIS India General Secretary and Bishop Salvador Lobo, CBCI-OSC Chairman were among other who addressed the five-day meeting.

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