REPORT
ON WORKSHOP/SEMINAR FOR THE CATHOLIC COMMUNICATORS ON THE STRATEGIC
IMPLEMENTATION OF PAPAL EXHORTATION DOCUMENT “AFRICAE MUNUS” AT THE REGIONAL
AND NATIONAL/DIOCESAN LEVEL OF AMECEA REGION
Organised
by AMECEA SOCIAL COMMUNICATIONS department and held at the Theresian Centre for
Women Training Centre, in Karen, Nairobi-Kenya from 21st – 25th May 2012
WELCOME
AND OPENING ADDRESS
By
Rev. Fr. Chrisantus Ndaga – AMECEA Secretary for Social Communications
In his welcome address the Fr Chrisantus Ndaga,
AMECEA Secretary for Social Communications thanked the Almighty God who made it
possible for all participants to meet and deliberate on the strategic
implementation of Papal Exhortation document “Africae Munus” at the regional
and national/diocesan level of AMECEA region and how Seriously, catholic
communicators can be very vibrant on the implementation of the document
especially in bringing awareness to the people and its outcome. Media practitioners
are asked right from the beginning of the implementation to work hand in hand
with other departments and stake holders towards the realization of some of the
challenges articulated in the document Africae Munus.
In his welcoming address he outlined the general
objectives of the workshop. These are the following:
·
To share what was discussed and planned at the
conference level by the conference Bishops.
·
To plan and strategize on the implementation of the
document at the regional, national and diocesan level.
·
To study and evaluate the communication challenges
facing the region as articulated by the Synod document “Africae Munus”.
·
To assist the AMECEA Bishops in their commitment to
shape the destiny of the people of this region who are caught up with serious
socio-political and economic challenges and plan to work together towards their
future destiny.
·
To set up a framework for new media technology that
will enable easy networking
·
To develop an adequate information and communication
infrastructure that will easy networking
It is opportune that this workshop falls within this
period when the Church in Africa is invited to be vigilant on doctrinal and
secular trends that can easily harm faith values within the fast growing Church
on this continent. The Church in Africa needs to be VIGILANT and DISCERN THE
SPIRITS. Watchfulness, awareness creation/conscientization and building
capacities of the various Agents of Evangelization must be placed high on the
Church priorities. Besides involving the various agents of evangelization, the
Church in Africa has been challenged to ACCOMPANY those in positions of
leadership and decision making in secular world and whenever necessary to
evangelize the secular media.
He hoped that the workshop will lead to fruitful
deliberations that will add value in the way Catholic communicators both
working in the catholic and secular media would work hand in hand in addressing
key issues of common pastoral concern in the region and emphasis on the use of
digital information technology and social media to support Evangelization
apostolate at the national and regional levels.
OPENING
ADDRESS
By
Rt Rev Bishop Charles Kasonde –AMECEA Bishop Chair for Social Communications
My dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ Jesus,
Pope Benedict XVI called for a Second Special
Assembly for Bishops of Africa popularly known as the Second African Synod for
Bishops of Africa with the theme ; “The Church at the service of
reconciliation for Justice and Peace” held in Rome from 4th – 29th
October 2009. Knowing the importance of the Synod, AMECEA (Association of
Member Episcopal Conferences for Eastern Africa) saw the need to participate
actively in the preparatory phase that eventually led to the generation of a
Lineamenta as a working document that provided the framework for the
convocation of the Synod by the Pope. After the Synod, we waited patiently for
the reception of the Apostolic Exhortation which eventually was handed over to
the Church Fathers in Benin, November 2011 by His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI.
The receiving of this special document known as « Africae Munus » marked
the official commencement of the work as contained in the document. AMECEA
further, decided to deliberate on the way forward after the Synod by proposing
an implimentation plan to the region during the workshop held at Limuru from 5th
-9th March 2012.
During this workshop at Limuru AMECEA Social
Communications department, was among the departments which were tasked to
deliberate on the effective implementation as far as communications activities
are concerned. In other words it called the department to strategize on new
approaches of networking, mutual collaboration and actions of solidarity among
AMECEA media practitioners in order to bring awareness of the document and
address the challenges facing their pastoral ministry as expressed in the
document. This therefore needs the engagement of all sectors: priests,
religious men and women, and lay faithful in the communication arena within the
region.
Again during the 17th AMECEA Plenary Assembly, the
Bishops also called on Media Practitioners to determine how they can use Media
and digital information technology to reach out and influence the society
positively (AMECEA Study session 17th Plenary Assembly Resolution no 13).
This is in line with the intention of the founders of
AMECEA whose initial intuition for the creation of AMECEA was to give to the
Catholic Church in Eastern Africa a possibility of networking so as to be able
to exchange ideas on how to help the People to grow in faith through
evangelization and allowing our African cultural values be radiated by the
light of Christ.
In spite of AMECEA being an integrated and stronger
faith community among her people in the region, the region has been the victim
of so many factors of division and conflicts resulting from ethnicity, poverty,
bad governance and other socio-economic upheavals.
Among the agents of these divisions as pointed out by
the document is the media due to its failure to adhere to the code of ethics and
self-accountability. “Everyone knows that the new information technologies
are capable of being powerful instruments for unity and peace, but also for
destruction and division. From a moral standpoint they can offer either a
service or a disservice, propagate truth as well as falsehood, propose what is
base as well as what is beautiful. The flood of news or non-news, to say
nothing of images, can be informative but also powerfully manipulative.
Information can readily become disinformation, and formation deformation. The
media can be a force for authentic humanization, but just as easily probe
dehumanizing.” “Africae Munus no 143”
We should now work on these challenges articulated in
the document and strategize on how to engage positively in shaping the destiny
of the people in this region in the social, cultural, religious, political and
economic spheres.
In this regard, AMECEA Social Communications
department, being one of the stake holders of communication in the region is
conducting this workshop that brings together National Communications
Coordinators or Directors and Selected Catholic Media Consultants on the
strategic implementation of the Document starting from the regional, National
and Diocesan levels.
Bringing also on board the Catholic Media practitioners
working in the secular media is in line with the call of the document no 145
that says “Christian journalists should not be afraid to show their faith!
They should be proud of it! The presence and activity of competent lay faithful
in the world of public and private communications should also be encouraged.
Like leaven in the dough, they will continue to testify to the positive and
constructive contribution which the teaching of Christ and his Church makes to
the world.”
I believe that this is the reason why we are here. We
must altogether seek ways and find the means which will help us work together
as sincere and authentic communicators in our region. There is greater need to
re-evaluate our communication priorities in order to come up with concrete,
practical and effective ways of reaching out to our people in the service of
Reconciliation, Justice and Peace.
It is my firm hope that as a fruit of this workshop,
the Exhortation will not remain just a message or word; rather it should
challenge us to openness and adhesion to the person of Jesus Christ and help
the people of God in this region to be instruments of reconciliation, justice
and peace.
In conclusion, I want to thank all those who have
contributed towards the organization and success of this workshop. I thank our
AMECEA Communications department, the National communication coordinators for
your responsiveness, and to our dear Partner the US Catholic Communication
Campaign for your generosity in supporting this workshop.
With these remarks, I now declare the AMECEA
Communication Workshop on the Implementation of the Post-Synodal Apostolic
Exhortation “Africae Munus” officially opened.
THANK
YOU AND MAY GOD BLESS YOU ALL.
DAY
I; Session I
TOPIC “Evangelizing the World of Information, Technology
and Communications: A Pastoral Challenge, by Rev. Dr. Segeja Nicholaus,
Head of Department of Pastoral Theology at the Catholic University Of Eastern
Africa CUEA,
Fr Segeja emphasised on the following
·
The teaching of Africae Munus and the Media
·
Understanding the Challenges around the Media
·
Suggestions and Perspectives for the Future
·
Economy of Intellectual Charity
·
Communal Search for the Truth
Fr Segeja told the workshop delegates that the
tremendous increasingly use of the media is affecting all, both in positive and
negative ways and the most are the youth (Generation – Gen “Y”).
He added that the modern mass media are not only
instruments of communication, but also a world to be evangelized which
eventually brings about at least two implications namely, the right
understanding of the reality of communication and the use of the media so that
it propagates the good, the true and the beautiful. He also said that Africae
Munus calls it authentic communication (AM, 142-146, Caritas in Veritate, 73)
which should be a priority in Africa.
Hence should include four integral dimensions,
namely, building of community, koinonia; witness to the truth, matyria;
diakonia; and reverence and the sense of the sacred, liturgia.
DAY
ONE
Group
Discussion Questions and Responses
Group one Discussions
1. How effective are the
Catholic Media in serving the needs of the Church?
The situation varies from one country to another this
is as follows:
In South Sudan
·
Some dioceses have radio frequencies therefore they
enjoy the benefit of a Catholic owned radio stations; other dioceses don’t and
therefore information sharing is still a challenge.
·
Currently there are seven Catholic radio stations in
South Sudan. There are no magazines and the church is working on widening the
radio frequency coverage to reach out to the dioceses that are still not yet
covered.
In Tanzania
·
The effectiveness can be rates as 50%; there are ten
FM radio stations and one Catholic TV station, which is soon to become digital.
The FM stations are powerful in the regions they cover because many programs
are designed to touch on the basic needs of the local people.
·
There is also one newspaper that is Church owned (Kiongozi)
which is doing well in circulation since it produces 4000 copies weekly.
·
During Easter and Christmas seasons the Catholic
activities are given free airtime on the national stations.
In Uganda
·
There are seven radio stations and two magazines
which are church owned. However the biggest challenge is that people are
influenced a lot by the secular FM stations.
·
Another challenge is that many Ugandans like
political news rather than news to do with religion.
·
Many parishes and churches have newsletters and
bishops are accessible to both the secular and church media.
·
Plans are underway to have a TV Station.
In Zambia:
·
All dioceses except two have radio stations i.e. eight
out of ten. When it comes to what is being published, it is not everything and
anything that the church says which will be published if it is not newsworthy.
·
However there is still need to capture the youth who
are more influenced by the secular media.
·
The Church in Zambia is very strong in social
analysis and social engagement hence the interest in social media.
·
The church in Zambia is also planning to start a
Catholic television. There are current discussions for the start of a new
television between the church and government
In Kenya
·
There is only one national radio station whose
coverage is only in Nairobi. However, there are other three dioceses with radio
stations namely Nakuru, Muranga and Lodwar
·
Protestants buy airtime for their services in the
secular media and are able to reach out to as many people as possible while the
Catholics don’t do the same. This is a weakness on the church which sees it
loose more faithful to the evangelical Churches that have TV programs on
commercial stations.
In Ethiopia
·
The government does not allow any establishment of
private media.
2. If it is not effective, what
new strategies can be employed to effectively serve the Church through media?
All in all, it can be said that the media has been
effective however the following strategies are to be employed to enhance more
effectiveness:
·
Tanzania: Establishment of Catholic Journalists association
and moving from analog Catholic TV to digital
·
Uganda: The Catholic Church has no airtime unlike the
Protestants who have; it is high time they think about it.
·
South Sudan: Lobby for a Catholic TV station and buying airtime
like the Protestants from commercial and government TV stations.
·
Kenya: Establishment of Catholic association of
journalists for networking and collaborations
Group Two Discussions
1. Illustrate with country
examples the challenges of communication media and ICT facing the Church in
AMECEA Region.
·
Catholic Church does not promote its own media
·
Management is not open to the lay people
·
In Uganda there is a distinction between the church
and the secular media though both are dealing with the same audience/people.
·
Secular media mostly focuses on the negative image of
the Church based on the mistakes of few individuals.
·
Radio Maria in Gulu, Uganda and Radio Waumini in
Kenya are both facing financial challenges with few employees and volunteers.
·
Low salaries but expensive equipment in most Catholic
owned radio stations.
·
In Tanzania, church media is not allowed to indulge
on issues involving government.
·
Links not updated or added to website due to limited
funds.
·
In Ethiopia private media are not allowed but the
church has a newspaper and access to internet linking eight dioceses.
·
In Zambia, Dioceses have radios and website but
content missing.
·
In South Sudan there is a network of Catholic radio
stations in eight states, but the government is also hard on issues to do with
its activities.
2. What new strategies for media
and communication can the Church use to effectively deal and fit with the world
of information technologies?
·
Open up church media to professionals
·
Invest on capacity building of personnel
·
Update and improve the websites
·
The church to appreciate its own medias
·
Embracing the social media
Group Three Discussions
1. Evangelizing the young people
is a major challenge for the Church in AMECEA Region, outline key media and
communication strategies that can assist the church reach out to young people
·
Introduce youth camps and workshops geared towards
media education to help the youth in critical use of media
·
Use new social media to reach out to the youth and
evangelize to them on. Facebook, Tweeter, Youtube, LinkedIn, Skype, etc.
·
Introduce religious youth program on Catholic radios
and TVs hosted by youth.
·
Introduce Pastoral Communication Courses in the
Catholic Universities and other Catholic Training Institutions to train
Catholic Media workers on youth apostolate among other church apostolate.
·
Train Catholic Pastoral agents in the use of media
for evangelization. The pastoral agents include bishops, priests, religious men
and women, seminarians and catechists.
2. List the reasons which may
have led to the widening gap between the youth and the universal church.
·
Perception by the youth that the Catholic Church is
rigid and does not allow freedom of expression.
·
Insufficient representation of the youth in the local
leadership of the Catholic Church, such as diocesan and parish council.
·
Influence on the youth from evangelical churches
which have more lively liturgies and which very often negatively criticize the
Catholic Church. For instance they say that Catholics confess to priests
instead of confessing to God directly. Hence creating a misunderstanding of the
sacrament of penance.
·
Low level of participation in liturgy by people has
made some youth to look at the Catholic liturgy as boring.
·
The language used in the Catholic Church is generally
too complicated for many youth.
·
Weak apostolate for the youth does engage them in
evangelizing work of the church.
DAY
2; Session 1
TOPIC “From ereopagus to Digital ereopagi: The Missionary
Mandate in Our Times”, by Rt. Rev. Dr. Bernardin Francis Mfumbusa, Bishop of
Kondoa Diocese in Tanzania (The former Senior lecturer of Mass
Communications at the St Augustine University of Tanzania SAUT).
He pointed out that based on statistics, facebook, a
common social network for instance boasts of 800 million users with people
spending 700 billion minutes per month and a user spending an average 15 hours
& 33 minutes a month on the site while 30 billion pieces of content is
shared on Facebook each month; yet the Church is lagging in the use of new
media technologies for evangelization; and the reasons being the following: the
nature of new media technologies; the church is no longer a leader in
education/research sector and the skills required viz. multi-tasking etc.
He added that the following should be issues of
concern for the Catholic Communicators:
·
How to Reach Generation Y?
·
How to counteract religion related negativity?
·
How to deal with the banalization of religious
symbols?
·
Limited presence of Catholic content in social media.
Group discussion questions
1. How can we make use of the social media to fulfill
Jesus’ command?
2. How can we use social media to become modern day
“apostles of the Word?”
Workshop
Day Two
Group
Discussion Questions
To allow practical suggestions tailored towards
specific conditions obtaining in each country to emerge, each country should
form a group on its own
1. What can be done by the
Catholic Media practitioners to ensure effective use of the social media for
evangelization and pastoral work?
Ethiopian Conference Group Response:
·
Drafting a pastoral Plan (Strategic plan)
·
Organizing workshops, training sessions for diocesan
Catholic Secretariats that include Pastoral Coordinators, Laity Council,
Diocesan Social Communications Heads, Catholic Women Associations, Young
Catholic Warriors and International Movements of Catholic Students.
·
After workshop/trainings of the above listed groups,
the trainees will be required to move to their respective parishes and conduct
evangelization and Pastoral work.
·
At national levels, the writers and other media will
cover their role of evangelization and pastoral work.
Kenyan Conference Group Response:
·
All print and electronic media of the church should
have social media pages such as Facebook and twitter
·
Catholic Media practitioners should have a blog where
they can post discussions and get feedback
·
Catholic media practitioners should take the
initiative to train the clergy and the catechists on the need to use social
media on the need of evangelization.
·
Start-up cyber café in the parish where Christian can
get the readings of the day, prayers and any other information they would need
about the media.
Malawian Conference Group Response:
·
Training for communicators and key people in Pastoral
work
·
Availability of resources e.g. financial (funds,
material, equipment)
·
Creativity for bishops and priests
·
Come up with programs/applications that are
attractive to the new generation on social media that would stir debate on
issues relating to the church.
Sudan Conference Group Response
·
Build the capacity of practitioners
·
Identify one of these media for effective use
·
There should be continuous update of the media
·
Trained qualified IT
·
Motivation of the media practitioners
·
Need to create a website for the Archdioceses that
links to other dioceses.
Tanzania Conference Group Response:
·
All in all training to personal is better in order
for them to be aware with social media, how it works. If possible to include
even the Bishop in creating awareness to all like the clergy and the laity.
·
The catholic media practitioners and pastoral workers
should make us of young people who are experts in new media/social media. Eg.
Youth coordinators should be trained.
·
To design radio messages on the use and importance of
social media in promoting evangelization and other pastoral activities.
Uganda Conference Group Response:
·
Catholic Media practitioners should be trained in the
use of social media.
·
Catholic media practitioners should train other
church pastoral agents in the use of social media.
·
Sensitize the Christians on the availability and use
of social media.
·
Work with other media organizations to promote the
use of social media.
·
Encourage the Bishops, to introduce communication and
include social media as a course unit in seminaries, religious houses of
formation, catechetical centers etc.
·
Encourage parishes and sub-parishes to establish
internet centers to enable the communities to access social media services eg.
Bosco (Battery Operated System for Communication) Uganda is doing this.
·
Involve the youth in the leadership of the local
church and therefore in planning for the pastoral activities of the church
since they are the ones who mostly use the social media.
·
Introduce the use of social media in catechism
classes and Sunday school.
Zambia Conference Group Response:
·
Invest in personnel and infrastructure e.g.
inter-cafe at parishes.
·
Modernize means of teaching catechism e.g. make it
interactive, use of computers, sms’s, face book to make announcements.
2. What should be done in the
AMECEA region to promote social media use?
Ethiopian Conference Group Response
·
Networking with all AMECEA Region members
·
Sharing Success stories and way forward
·
Conducting brainstorming sessions to ensure whether
we are on the same track.
Kenyan Conference Group Response
·
The AMECEA Social Communication Department should
have a common media page that is linked to AMECEA Countries and dioceses in the
AMECEA Countries.
·
The Offices should be able to formulate an active
mechanism of feedback
·
The social page of AMECEA should have podcasts
featuring the interviews of bishops and the influential Catholic Media
practitioners.
Malawian
Conference Group Response:
·
AMECEA Member countries to share information and
stories for the website such as google map and forums
·
Need for continuous training for AMECEA Communicators
·
Each country member to have an attractive,
professionally designed website which is regularly updated.
·
Bishops of AMECEA Region to take social media as a
priority and to treat it as a cross cutting issue
·
There should be internet forum for AMECEA Countries
·
Encourage the formation of Catholic Journalists
Association they have different skills which the church can benefit from.
Sudan Conference Group Response:
·
AMECEA Region should organize training workshop for
practitioners.
Tanzania Conference Group Response:
·
Promote media social use
·
It could be better every member conference and
dioceses to have a website/blog if possible to link to Twitter, facebook from
parishes and outstations.
·
Wherever possible the Sunday homily should be posted
to parish website/blog.
Uganda Conference Group Response:
·
We should work together as media.
·
Catholic media should be trained before training
others.
·
Pastoral training e.g. for religious people and
laity.
·
Be introduced as a course unity in the seminaries,
information houses (religious) to encourage the pastoral work to be easy in the
society.
·
Train church members so that they can fit in social
media.
·
To encourage parishes and sub-parishes to establish
communication centers where people can access information, addition to that the
parishes to work on new pullouts every Sundays.
·
Bosco (Battery Operated System for community out-
reach) – internet serviced in villages to access information for other
dioceses.
Zambia Conference Group Response:
·
Create AMECEA blog
·
Have training workshops and expose church personnel
to social media.
·
Lobby Bishops in AMECEA to support use of social
media.
·
Encourage SCC to adopt social media.
3. How can we use youth groups
(viz. at secondary and university level) to use social media as instruments of
evangelization and learning about Catholicism?
Ethiopian Conference Group Response
·
By introducing and promoting our Catholic Church
website and facebook page
·
By inviting YCW (Young Catholic Warriors), IMCE
(Inter Movement of Catholic Students) and youth associations for their
solidarity Catholicism and then they can promote or lobby the mission of the
church and they play important leadership role.
·
To contact those who do not belong to the above
groups in their respective schools through the national education desk
Kenyan Conference Group Response
·
Most students in secondary schools and universities
use social media. We should introduce a social media page for the different
youth groups in those institutions such as Young Christian Students (YCS),
Catholic Action, Youth for Life, and Legionaries among others.
·
We should be able to start a blog managed by the
youth but supervised by the chaplain to evangelize the other youth.
·
Get the database of all the contacts, phone numbers,
and emails and send them inspirational SMSs every day and reflections which
they can share with their fellow youth.
Malawian Conference Group Response:
·
Forming clubs in schools and encouraging the students
to use social media in these clubs.
·
Create internet forum in schools and let students
debate on Catholicism issues; also feed the forum with Catholic issues and
other sensitive issues such as condom use, abortion and same sex rights and
what the church says about these issues.
·
Engage students in price giving quizzes and
competitions through the social media
·
Encourage the Catholic students to come up with
websites and personal blogs.
·
Youth chaplains/communication directors to control
the debates.
Sudan Conference Group Response:
·
Organize workshops for secondary and university
students with an aim of encouraging students to use social media.
Tanzania Conference Group Response:
·
To encourage youth groups like TYCS of each schools
and universities to have their own blog/website. Here they can post their
religious activities e.g. Bible sharing, sports, Religious debates,
evangelization matters etc.
Uganda Conference Group Response:
·
Involve the young people in the leadership and
planning in the parishes and dioceses, since they are the leaders of tomorrow.
·
Introduce social media as a part of the youth
activities in schools and holiday e.g. the youth.
·
Encourage catholic schools and universities to
introduce social media for evangelization as a part of school syllabus.
·
Introduce media courses in the catholic schools
including universities.
·
Communication should be taken as first priority in
pastoral plan of AMECEA.
·
Introduce social media as part of the youth
activities in schools and holidays e.g. youth camps.
Zambia Conference Group Response:
·
Encourage the youth groups to have their own blogs.
·
Encourage youths to interact and make announcements
on face book, twitter etc.
·
Encourage Catholic schools, universities and colleges
to include social media use in their curriculum.
·
Make available and affordable, computers and laptops
to the youth.
4. IF Jesus were to choose 12
Apostles today what kind of people would he choose? Fishermen? IT people?
Nerds? Media wonks? WHY?
Ethiopian Conference Group Response
He would choose IT people because of the following
reasons Reading the signs of time of the advancement of technology:
·
IT is powerful
·
It has access globally
·
These people reach the society within very short time
·
They convey messages of the Church very actively
·
They awaken and foster the faith of people
·
They fortify both the faith of pastoral agents and
those who seem to have lost faith in Catholicism.
·
They encourage vocation for the service of the Church
·
They help transform society on the context of
integral human development.
Kenyan Conference Group Response:
- Media Workers (Wonks) because evangelization is the work of communication and Jesus was the first communicator of the Gospel, and media practitioners have Jesus as their role model.
Malawian Conference Group Response:
·
IT People because IT deals with effective
communications, application of equipment and multi skilled in communication.
Sudan Conference Group Response:
·
IT People because they can send information very fast
as compared to media people who would waste time deciding on what type of media
to use.
Tanzania Conference Group Response:
·
It does not matter what kind of people would he
choose, but he would choose from any kind of group. This is because Jesus
Christ is a communicator and trainer and therefore he would teach them how to
communicate effectively.
Uganda Conference Group Response:
Jesus would choose Media Workers.
·
They will easily use all the social media at their
disposal for evangelization.
·
Just as the twelve apostles they will work as a team
for effective evangelization which requires team work.
·
They will easily fulfil the commission of Jesus, “go
out to the whole world and proclaim the Good News”. i.e. universal coverage
done in a very short time.
Zambia Conference Group Response:
Jesus would probably choose Media Monks.
·
Media monks are known for studying and understanding
their material thoroughly.
·
They would be in a good position to spread the Gospel
easily.
·
They would have capacity to reach out to the youth
and others on the internet.
·
They provide platforms for feedback through their
blogs.
Remarks from the Head of department
We are very grateful to USCCB- CCC for funding this
project which made realize our plans in the implementation of the Africae Munus
Papal document.
We also register our gratitude to Theresian Sisters
women training centre for giving us a very discount on accommodation and venue
so that we may be able to fit our budget. For sure without them we had to cut
number of participants or other activities important in the workshop.
The following are some of our remarks:
·
This was one of the successful workshops not only for
the department but for AMECEA Secretariat in general: in terms of attendance,
active participation, matters presented and resolution/action plan set for the
implementation. Unfortunately, there was no representative from Eritrea due to
some government restrictions for people to leave out of their country.
·
One clear idea which our department is thinking to
push it forward for a long-term effect is the establishment of association of
catholic journalists (both working in the church and secular media). This
can only be achieved via Catholics working in these secular media. This is for
sure will have a long lasting benefit to the Church. The Catholic media
institutions in the region alone can make us achieve our goals unless we use
also secular media. We wish CCC to partner with us again in realizing our plans
of bringing on board journalists working in the secular media.
·
We were unable to get facilitators from outside
AMECEA region due to the fact that the time set to conduct was very short and
we had no time to get external facilitators from USCCB; CAMECO and PCCS as
earlier planned
·
Budget limitation made us adjust some of the
activities to fit our budget. For example we intended also to bring Bishops
Chairs for Social Communications from all member countries.
·
The publication of the proceeding is underway; we are
just waiting for funds for settling some of the expenses already borne and also
for publishing.
Report Prepared by
Fr Chrisantus Ndaga
AMECEA Social Communications Secretary
June 2012
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ACTION PLAN TO IMPLEMENT AFRICAE MUNUS (AM)
2012 to 2013
AMECEA Social Communications office and
National Communications offices
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No.
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Activity to be implemented
(What?)
|
Issues being addressed
(Why?)
|
Which stakeholder will implement
(Who?)
|
What steps will be taken to implement activity
(How?)
|
Timeline for implementation
(When?)
|
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1.
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Officially
launch AM in all national conferences
|
To
popularize AM document and signal official start of implementation
|
Nat. Comm.
Office; SG’s office; Caritas –J&P; Pastoral depts.
|
Organise
suitable date for launch, organize activities and then launch
|
By end of
2012 |
|
2.
|
Formation
of national AM steering committees or task force groups
|
To
co-ordinate activities, avoid parallel pgms. and duplication
|
Nat. Comm.
Office; SG’s office; Caritas –J&P; Pastoral depts.
|
Nat. Comm.
office to lobby SG’s office, Caritas and Pastoral offices at Cath.
Secretariat to create committees.
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JUNE 2012
|
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3.
|
Design
AMECEA blog on AM activities in the region
|
Increase
knowledge sharing and best (good) practices
|
AMECEA COMM
office;
Nat Comm.
depts
|
AMECEA
office to design and launch blog,
regularly update blog; Nat. Comm depts. to regularly contribute to the blog
|
JUNE
2012
|
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4.
|
Distribute
soft copies of simplified version of AM
|
Increase
dissemination via internet and social media; simplified version to ensure
easy understanding of AM issues
|
AMECEA COMM
office and Nat Comm. Depts.
|
AMECEA COMM
office to distribute AM soft copy to Nat Comm. Depts while Nat. comm offices
to share AM soft copy document widely
|
JULY
2012
|
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5.
|
Know about
and document AM activities being carried out by other depts. at national
level
|
To retain
experiences of activities being carried out
|
Nat. Comm
dept.
|
Inquiries
from other depts. about AM programs; other depts. sharing their plans with
Nat. Comm
| Throughout 2012 - 2013 |
|
6.
|
Bring about
the importance of social media as a new tool for evangelization
|
In order to
explore new ways of spreading the Gospel
and the message of AM and to reach the youth; build capacity among
Catholic media practitioners
|
Nat. Comm
dept. with help from AMECEA Comm.
|
Conduct
workshops on social media for diocesan comm. offices and diocesan media
|
On-going
|
|
7.
|
Reach out
to journalists especially Catholic journalists working for secular media
|
To increase
effectiveness of Church communications
|
AMECEA COMM
office and Nat Comm. Depts
|
Visiting
secular media houses to familiarize with their operations; bring them on
board; secular media; formation of
Catholic media associations;
|
On-going
|
|
8.
|
The message
of AM to be constantly featured in all Church media
|
To
continuously educate and remind people about the importance of the AM message
|
All
Catholic media houses in AMECEA
|
AMECEA COMM
office and Nat Comm. Depts to encourage Catholic media to produce radio and
television programmes and to write articles. AM programmes should be in multi
media
|
On-going
|
|
9.
|
Counter
negative media publicity towards the Church
|
To enhance
Catholic faith as a positive and worthy lifestyle
|
AMECEA COMM
office and Nat Comm. Depts
|
Lobby
Bishops to appoint spokespersons of each conference; workshops for clergy to
handle media; engage Catholic journalists working for secular media
|
On-going
|
|
10.
|
Make
Catholic media houses attractive to work for
|
To enhance
quality productions and bring about professionalism
|
AMECEA COMM
office and Nat Comm. Depts
|
Lobby
Bishops and Catholic media owners for improved conditions of service and
remuneration
|
On-going
|
|
11.
|
Review
implementation plan
|
To re-align
activities and make this plan more effective
|
AMECEA COMM
office and Nat Comm. Depts
|
At the
annual meeting of National Communication Directors
|
AUGUST 2012
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