By Lissy Maruthanakuzhy
Jalandhar, April 16, 2026: Church leaders have called on Indian Catholic communicators to embrace their mission as “whispers of hope” in a noisy digital age, urging them to prioritize truth, peace, and authentic relationships during the SIGNIS India National Assembly held April 14–15 in Jalandhar, Punjab.
The gathering, themed “Whispers of Hope: Communicating Peace, Growing Together, Building Futures,” brought together bishops, youth leaders, and media professionals to reflect on the role of Catholic communication in a rapidly evolving technological and cultural landscape.
Bishop Vijay Kumar Rayarla of Srikakulam, who serves as Chairman of the Commission for Social Communications and NISCORT, a professional Media College for Journalism and Mass Communication Studies, opened the assembly with a keynote address.
“Your presence brings fresh energy, creativity, and hope. And we look forward to your active participation in carrying forward the mission of SIGNIS into the future,” the bishop said.
He emphasized that communicators are entrusted with a sacred mission: “We are called to become those whispers of hope that touch lives, heal wounds, and inspire trust.”
Bishop Rayarla drew on Pope Leo XIV’s message for the 60th World Day of Social Communications, warning that technology’s ability to simulate voices, faces, and emotions risks replacing authentic human interaction.
“Communication therefore is never merely about transmitting information. It is about entering into relationship,” he said. He urged Catholic communicators to resist manipulation and remain grounded in truth, transparency, and courage.
Percival Holt of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (Latin Church) Youth Commission highlighted the challenges facing young people in the digital era.
“Young people are not spiritually indifferent but deeply overwhelmed by academic, social, digital, and existential pressures,” Holt said. He noted that platforms such as YouTube, Netflix, and podcasts have become spaces of catechesis and identity exploration.
Holt called for a shift from warning-based youth engagement to accompaniment and training. “Rather than treating media as a threat, it is a pastoral frontier where young people are already searching for meaning, community, justice, and God,” he said.
He urged the Church to recognize media as a catechetical space, integrate artificial intelligence responsibly, and create hybrid models of community that bridge online and offline life.
Bishop Jose Sebastian Thekkumcherikunnel of Jullundur reminded participants of the centrality of the gospel message. “What we need to communicate is as already said, go and preach this good news,” he said. He acknowledged that the Church has not always fully utilized its resources for evangelization.
“Somewhere we have to acknowledge that throughout the years we have failed to communicate effectively the message of the gospel to the people living around us,” he said.
Bishop Thekkumcherikunnel stressed that Catholic media must remain rooted in faith and prayer. “Unless they are touched by the Lord and have the experience, they would not be able to communicate what they have not experienced,” he said.
He also pointed to institutional and legal restraints that hinder proclamation, urging reliance on God and courage in witness.
Throughout the assembly, speakers underscored the need for collaboration among the Church, educators, policymakers, and media professionals to ensure communication serves the common good. Media literacy was identified as essential for helping people discern truth and use technology responsibly.
The assembly concluded with a call to action: to communicate peace in a divided world, to listen to marginalized voices, and to build futures rooted in justice and dignity. “In a world filled with noise, let us become whispers of hope. In a culture marked by division, let us become voices of peace,” Bishop Rayarla said.
Some participants departing the assembly told Matters India that they were leaving with a clear message — Catholic communicators in India are tasked not only with producing content, but with bearing witness to truth, fostering authentic relationships, and shaping a more compassionate society.