COMMISSION FOR SOCIAL COMMUNICATIONS

Secretary: Fr Roshan Dsouza

Joint Secretary: Sr Philomena Menezes SCCG Gulbarga.

Core Group: FrSanthosh Bapu Basavakalyan, Fr Clevan Gomes Shahapur, Br Aron Vas Gulbarga, Paul Immanuel Gulbarga.

Introduction

The Bible is, thus a great love story between God and Humanity, centered around Jesus, the perfect communicator of God’s love for us and our love for God. Henceforth every generation of men and women have commitment to communicate the Story of stories in the best way possible using all the available means of communication.

The modern world has ample opportunities to communicate the message of the kingdom beyond barriers. The gospel of Matt 28: 19 invites us to go and proclaim to the whole world the message of the kingdom. Pope Benedict in his annual message on communication concentrated wholly on the digital world. He said in 2011 that, “there existed for a “Christian way” of being present in the digital world, a form of a communication which is honest, open, responsible and respectful of others.” We are called to make a Christian presence in the digital, media savvy world through the office of social communications with our vision, mission, goals, objectives and activities. Digital media, Social media facilitates the interactive means of communication. Today the communication is instant and faster. Thanks to the various platforms of Social media. St. John Paul II in his message in 15th World Communication Day (May 1981) said, “Social Communications at the service of responsible human freedom”. The freedom of press in India is facing challenges. Indian media must be unbiased, standing for Truth and justice. The Christian communicators are called to make a difference in the present media scenario. The catholic Communicators are called to be “Prophets”, the voice of the voiceless in the media.

VISION: A connected community fostering Gospel values

MISSION: Effective communication in promoting evangelization and building humane community

GOALS

1. Media at the service of the Church for Evangelization
2. Christians are promoting efficiently the media ethics

GOAL I: Media at the service of the Church for Evangelization

Objective 1: Priests & Religious regularly make use of media effectively in catechesis and preaching

Activities

1. Seminar on usage of media for catechesis (priests and religious)
2. Seminar on usage of media for catechism teachers
3. Competitions (public speaking, drawing, story writings, singing, etc,.) for teenagers & youth to build up self-confidence and nurture them in faith (networking with youth & education commissions).

Indicators

1. Increased zeal & enthusiasm among the faithful
2. Better clarity and ideas are caught by the people
3. Priests, religious and Catechism teachers are effective and well prepared for preaching & teaching.

Objective 2: Parish Pastoral Council Members and Youth aware of the dangers of media are able to direct the community by 2024

Activities

1. Training on usage of media for PPC Members
2. Training on media critical analysis for Catholic Youth

Indicators

1. Lay faithful are able to analyze the good and evil of media
2. Lay faithful communicate the good use of media to youth & children
3. Youth & children are properly guided

Objective 3: By 2021, SINCHANA, the diocesan monthly bulletin will be published & circulated to all families in the diocese

Activities

1. Editorial team is formed and functioning effectively
2. Monthly articles are collected, published and circulated
3. Fund raising is done through advertisements and sponsors
4. e-Sinchana is published regularly

Indicators

1. All read Sinchana and are well informed about the events of the church and diocese

GOAL II: Christians are promoting efficiently the media ethics

Objective 1: The teenagers & youth through media education are able to use media for the good of the self & society by 2024

Activities

1. Seminars on usage of media for teenagers & youth

Indicators

1. Teenagers & youth are able to critically analyze media
2. Teenagers & youth are effectively using media for self-enrichment and serving the society
3. Teenagers & youth are digital evangelizers

Objective 2: Students of our Educational Institutions in at least twenty five High Schools & two Colleges will undergo media ethics seminars, and make proper use of the media by 2024

Activities

1. Seminar on usage of media for schools & colleges

Indicators

1. Students are able to critically analyze media.
2. Students are effectively using media for self-enrichment and serving the society.
3. Students are value based communicators.