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The Vatican Radio’s Director of English programming encouraged Philippine Church communicators to reflect on the message of Pope Francis on the World Communications Day 2016 during the 2nd National Media Convention in Angel’s Hills Retreat and Formation Center in Tagaytay City.
Following the theme, “Communication and Mercy: A Fruitful Encounter”, Mr. Sean Patrick Lovett stressed to the convention attendees the importance of synergy among the Church media institutions in communicating mercy to people. Through the different medium, evangelizing is much easier but it is important to note that instead of focusing on the medium, communicators should also reflect on themselves.
“We are the message,” Mr. Lovette stressed.
Mr. Lovett also reiterated the urgent need to evangelize especially in this time where people are so immersed in technology. The different technologies, he said, especially the internet promised to unify and build bridges but has also created walls and misunderstanding among the people.
He said that communicators should be like a prophet who is not afraid to step out of his comfort zone and think out of the box. He emphasized the need to explore new possibilities and be creative in communicating and reaching out to the people and also challenged the attendees to communicate the culture of love amidst all the negative things that are happening around.
To end his talk, he asked the participants to have group discussions and share their ideas and plans to improve the state of Catholic media in the Philippines.
Apart from his work with Vatican Radio, Mr. Lovett is involved with assisting the bishop’s conferences in organizing the social communications ministries of the different dioceses.
The 2nd National Media Convention is organized by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines – Episcopal Commission on Social Communication (CBCP-ECSC) in partnership with TV Maria, EWTN, Jesuit Communications, Veritas 846 Radyo Totoo, Communication Foundation for Asia, and Areopagus, runs until August 24, 2016.
