By Magimai Pragasam
Trichy, April 18, 2024: A workshop organized by the Tamil Nadu Church’s online television channel has taught young people to use social media to help society.
“We have to decide whether to become Good Samaritans or indifferent bystanders,” said Father Jenith Sekar, the technical manager of Madha TV and the coordinator of the April 12-13 workshop on “Storytelling in the Digital Age.”
The priest pointed out that social media is a gift of the modern era that offers “a great opportunity to express our inherent sense of fraternity, to become Good Samaritans who bear the pain of other people’s troubles rather than provoking greater hatred and bitterness.”
Around 45 young people from various dioceses in Tamil Nadu attended the April 12-13 workshop at Kaviri Communications Centre in Tiruchirappalli or Trichy.
Madha TV, the online Catholic Satellite Television of the Tamil Nadu Bishops’ Council, organized the workshop to form socially responsible and committed young media warriors in the digital age.
The participants were taught the art of content creation, the art of storytelling, the process of short film production, cyber activism, and pastoral reflections on engagement with social media.
They produced short videos on social issues and organized group activities to generate content for social media.
Father Sekar also explained to the participants the Vatican document “Towards Full Presence – A Pastoral Reflection on Engagement with Social Media,”
Quoting the document, he described social media as another road to Jericho. “Social media is not a tool but a space. We need to foster a sense of community, become attentive to shared values, experiences, hopes, joys and sorrows in the digital space,” he asserted.
Father Sekar also addressed the dangers in the digital highway, ways to care for neighbor and spread Good News on the internet and the style of Jesus in the internet age.
Father Innocent who spoke on Cyber activism stressed the need to use social media to fight for human rights, mobilize people and to be responsible citizens.
“When you use the internet constructively for community building and awareness creation among people on social issues, you are engaged in cyber activism,” he explained.
The short films produced by the participants were screened in the presence of Bishop Savarimuthu Arokiaraj of Tiruchirappalli, who applauded the young people for their creativity and presented certificates to them.
“I am deeply touched by your concern for the Church, and its mission. Whenever you promote human values, you are sharing Jesus with others,” the prelate said.
Young people are yet to do justice to their enormous potential in nation-building.