Lissy Maruthanakuzhy

Panaji, Oct 16, 2021: The Archdiocese of Goa-Daman concluded the diocesan communication week on October 16 with Archbishop Filipe Neri applauding tiatrists for protecting culture and educating people on various social issues.

The week began October 10 with the theme of the World Communications Day “Come and See: Communicating and Encountering People where and as they are.”

The celebration included a workshop with tiatrists (tiatr-drama) of Goa, and a weeklong reflection on the message of Pope Francis for World communications day, on CCR (Catholic Charismatic) Television Channel.

Tiatr is a type of musical theatre popular in Goa, Mumbai and Konkani speakers in other parts of the world.

The archbishop also said the “tiatrists provide wholesome entertainment and promote values in society” such as ecology, land grabbing and mining.

The prelate also said the artists faced a hard time during the pandemic as they could not stage shows.

Tiatr fraternity was the worst affected group during pandemic. Directors, stage artistes, musicians and technicians totally depended on this art form for their livelihood. Some had carved their profession with the help of this stage presentation.

Director of Diocesan Centre for Lay Apostolate Father Jorge Fernandes called upon the tiatrists to be witnesses of the values they promote through their art.

Father Fernandes said the tiatr is concerned about society while educating people on various issues through regular shows.”

According To Father Fernandes, tiatr is also a medium for evangelization as tiatr can reach out to many people. “People listen attentively to the dialogue in the drama,” he said.

Speaking on how tiatr can renew the world he said, every drama should be like the Transfiguration of Jesus: touching the hearts with the powerful messages and challenging the audience to transform their lives, and sometimes helping them to relax and forget all their sorrows.

Father Fernandes encouraged them to come together to discuss issues plaguing them.

During the week, the messages focused on seven themes gleaned from the 55th World Communications day: The “Attitude of moving beyond” by Pilar Father Feroz Fernandes on October 10, “Hitting the Streets” by Capuchin Father Suresh Mathew (October 11), and “The need for a true encounter” by St Paul Father Joe Eruppakkat (October 12),

Other speakers were Paul Sister Pauline Chakkalakal on “Paul of tarsus: Witness and Communicator of Christ, on October 13, “The creative way of communicating and encountering people online” by Sister Michelle Mathias (October 14), “Being a Voice to the Voiceless” by Father Santosh Digal (15 October).

On the concluding day, Jesuits’ Goa provincial Father Roland Coelho spoke on “Witnesses of the Truth.”

Father Feroz Fernandes, chief content editor of Radio Veritas Asia, said, “Diocesan Communication Day is an opportunity to spread hope, to move beyond the existing pessimism towards cheerfulness. Moving beyond is to nurture healthy relationship.”

Father Digal, currently pursuing doctorate in communications, stressed the need for unmasking the unheard situations of poverty-stricken places and people and asserted that media have the power to unravel the stark reality of people’s life, struggles and future.”

He called upon the media personnel to “recommit ourselves to stand by the poor, and expose the uncomfortable truths others and become witness to it.”

Father Mathew, the editor of “Indian Currents,” challenged the Catholic communicators to carry stories abut the poor and marginalized in their newsletters. “Let us get out of the safe zones of our news rooms to hit the streets, so that we can carry real stories that matter to Christ,” he said.

Father Coelho highlighted the need to be with the people “to get into their messiness of life,” to hear Jesus speaking through them and their life events.

“We can choose to use technology for good purposes. We can brighten people’s lives and give them hope,” he said.