By Molly Fernandes
Old Goa, Dec 11, 2023: Catholic communicators in India have resolved to become digital missionaries to save young people from enslaving vices and fight fake news that threatens democracy.
“We live in a world where the presence of digital media impacts the values, belief systems, and the attitude of young people making them slaves to the vices available on digital media. Online games, pornography addiction, overexposure to violence, and contents of divisive nature in social media lead to destructive behaviors,” said the national assembly of Signis India.
As many as 125 delegates from Signis India’s 12 regions attended the December 6-9 assembly at St Joseph Vaz Spiritual Centre in Old Goa.
The participants listened to presentations on the theme, “Speaking with the Heart, The Truth in Love,” and shared their experiences to create a culture of peace among the multicultural, multireligious, multilinguistic communities in India.
Signis India is a member of the World Catholic Association for Social Communication present in more than 100 countries.
The term ‘Signis’ is derived from two Latin words: ‘Signum’ (sign) and ‘Ignis’ (fire).
“We leave this Assembly with new insights, awareness, and resolve to reflect upon to make our media ministry more meaningful and effective,” says a statement from the assembly.
The participants underscored the need for Catholic communicators to become digital missionaries to help transform the youth, by understanding the young generation.
They also recognized “the devastating effects of fake news on the development and democratic processes of our healthy society,” and the need to “become bridge builders.”
The assembly resolved to move from individual engagement to community building and to speak to people with their hearts.
“More than ever, speaking with our hearts is essential to foster a culture of peace, allowing for dialogue and reconciliation, as in the words of Pope Francis, ‘God’s style is closeness, compassion, and tenderness’,” the statement adds.
The communicators have decided to enhance their engagements with social media “with profound faith, hope, ethics, thoughtfulness, love, compassion, spirituality, and truth.”
They also resolved to reach out to people rather than wait for them to reach the communicators. For this, they will use all means of communication such as visuals, audio, and feelings. “We feel it’s the need of the hour to look outwards, motivate and train laity in media, and build relationships with mainstream media,” the statement says.
Cardinal Felipe Neri Ferrao, the archbishop of Goa and Daman, presided over the opening Mass together with Bishop Henry D’Souza of Bellary, Signis Asia president Father Stanley, and Signis India national president Father Victor Lobo, among others.
The cardinal urged the Catholic communicators to follow Jesus the Communicator, and cited Jesus’s dialogue with the woman at the well and Zacheus the Tax collector. Jesus communicated to them with the heart and the truth in love that transformed the two.
“Therefore, we must approach the communication ministry with a compassionate heart as it pertains to the Gospel,” the cardinal said.
Cardinal Ferrao, in his inaugural address, challenged the participants to use the modern technology. He too asked the Catholic communicators to become digital missionaries to communicate the truth in love.
Alexandre M Barbosa, a writer journalist, explained how fake news could be countered with genuine and truthful information as Catholic communicators.
Aisha Fernandes, associate professor at Goa Engineering College, directed the communicators to talk to the people, the youth in the language they understand.
The assembly honoured Shaison P Ouseph, director of ‘The Face of the Faceless,’ and its producer Sandra D’Souza Rana, and Bishop D’Souza Henry D’Souza, former Signis India president.