Bellary: Church Media in Karnataka Not Vibrant Enough
Media Release
Bellary, Aug 6: “The Church Media in Karnataka should be much more vibrant by networking and making use of the immense resources and resource persons available to us in the field of Information and Communication Technology. Bangalore being the IT capital has immense potential for the Church in Karnataka but we have not harnessed this potential sufficiently” Bishop Henry Dsouza, Chairman of the Karnataka Region Bishops Council Commission for Youth and Social Communication told participants at a Conference in Bellary. He was addressing participants at a Seminar titled “New Way of Being Church in Karnataka” August4 and 5th. Commenting on the difficult times South Asian Religious News (SAR News) had gone through, he said “There was a time when this News Agency was to shut-down but thanks to the efforts of the former Editors in Chief and the present, Fr. Adolf Washington, the News Agency is kept active and kicking supplying us with daily news. During my visit to Rome I was greatly impressed to know that the CBCI website too was accessed by hundreds of people in Rome, especially when our Churches were being vandalized and our Communities attacked.” The Prelate also commended the work the CBCI Commission for Social Communication is doing in keeping the world updated with news.
The participants included Diocesan youth directors, media directors, secretaries of Media and Youth commissions including youth representatives from ICYM, YCS/YSM, Jesus Youth, AICUF, Fr. Franklin Philip D’souza, Regional Youth Director, Fr. Valreian Mendonca, Secretary Regional Commission for Youth and Social Communication and Director Sandesha, Fr. Adolf Washington, President of The Indian Catholic Press Association and SIGNIS Karnataka President Fr. Lawrence.
Animating the discussions during the Conference, the Prelate urged the members of both commissions to make “an honest assessment of our strengths and weaknesses”. He said “Our Catholic identity is a commitment to God, Church and society. The Laity have also a special part in the ministry of the priest and so both have to take each other into confidence in all activities”. Bishop Henry also added “The Youth both urban and rural youth are a powerful support to the Church. They should be trained and involved in the plans and programmes of the Commissions”.
Enlisting the strengths of the commissions, the participants said it is noteworthy that there is a good organizational set up and also an encouraging trend of priests and religious sent for media studies. They also noted with appreciation that the Church has been using the web media sufficiently. The Youth were much appreciated for their zeal, in that thousands of them have associated themselves with various prayer groups like the Jesus Youth, AICUF, YCS and YSM movements.
Lack of co-operation between parish clergy and Commission Secretaries, financial problems and priests and religious media shy or disinterested in using youth potential or Media resources were some of the points that needed attention, the participants said.
A website of the KRYC (Karnataka Region Youth Commission) was launched by Bishop Henry during the seminar. The website contains news of youth activities and programmes of the 11 dioceses in Karnataka. The Bishop while thanking Vincent Mascarenhas who created the website said “In yesteryears the Church expected the laity to pray, pay and obey. But now, the Church has greatly appreciated and acknowledged the potential of the laity in building up the Church and so has urged Church personnel to tap the talent of the laity as much as possible.”