By Felix Anthony

Guwahati: The Catholic Church’s North East Social Communication (NESCOM) on May 16 organized a webinar on Pope Francis’ message for the World Communication Day 2021.

Addressing 27 delegates representing various media department of the Church in the region, Salesian Father George Plathottam, the executive secretary for the Office of the Social Communication of Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences, discussed the theme for the day: Come and See.

“We need to move beyond the complacent attitude that we already know certain things. Instead we need to go and see them for ourselves, to spend time with the people, to listen to their stories and to confront reality, which always in some way surprise us,” said Father Plathottam.

“Come and see is related to the call of the disciples. Our encounter with the Lord is the beginning of our mission, expressed in our visits to the family, village and the sick and needy. The genuine pastoral care is the real meaning of communication,” he added.

Delivering the keynote address, NESCOM chairman Bishop Albert Hemrom of Dibrugarh stressed on the importance of communication being inspired by truth and offer light and warmth. “Our primary responsibility is to uphold truth in the context of fake news and distorted truth,” said the bishop.

Allen Brooks, the spokesperson for United Christian Forum of North East India and Assam Christian Forum, spoke of media activism in the context of North East India. “Through our media intervention, we need to bridge the gap between the haves and have-nots and our communication system should function like life saving tool in this time of pandemic,” the lay leader asserted.

Media Cell activist from Trivandrum Latin rite Archdiocese, Clinton Damien, one of the resource persons, highlighted that social media is a great modern day tool for evangelisation and we all need to use it to care for every person under our care.

Father Johnson Parackal, the president of SIGNIS North East India, congratulated the NESCOM team and its secretary Father Tom Mangattuthazhe for the creative way of celebrating the WCD with a webinar.

Father G P Amalraj, the deputy secretary of North East India Regional Bishops’ Council (NEIRBC), in his concluding remarks, suggested that NESCOM should help the people in the remote corners of the region with registration for vaccination.

The meeting concluded with the launch of toll free number to access Covid relief support within North East India. The helpline number, 18001217119, an initiative of the Commission for Ecumenism of NEIRBC, is available in English, Hindi, Nagamese, Assamese, Nepali, Kabri and Boro and the lines are open from 8 am to 6 pm.