Media ministry in parish level program launched

The Commission on Social Communications in cooperation with Catholic Mass Media and the Department of Communication, Languages and Literature recently launched the “Media Ministry in Parish Level”, a program which sets to train parishioners on the basics in mass communication like news and information gathering, writing, and editing.

Such is for the future use of parishioners in reaching people of their respective parishes through the power of the pen, this was learned.

Facilitators under the supervision of Dr. Teoddie Dumam-ag, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences of the University of San Jose-Recoletos, formally set off the series of activities for the creation of media ministry in churches here in Cebu. This was held at the USJ-R Main Campus along Magallanes Street last July 5 and will go on every Saturday until August 30.

Participants are made up of representatives from different parishes in the Archdiocese of Cebu.

Rev. Fr. Trinidad de Silva Jr., CSC chairman, said the program was organized to involve parishioners preferably the youth in the activities of the church through journalism and to propagate awareness in responsible journalism among parishioners.

“The program gives opportunity to delegates to learn to handle media affairs of their church with a specific objective to create links to different parishes in the hope of a more united Archdiocese,” Silva added.

Professors from the Mass Communication Department of USJ-R with assistance from senior mass com students of the campus are in-charge of the teaching of course modules.

After the training, Silva said, delegates will be sent to their respective parishes to apply the principles they’ve learned, skills acquired, and values imbibed. They will also be sent on field for a more hands-on training.

In relation to this, the Archdiocesan CSC in partnership with Communication Foundation in Asia invites parish representatives to attend a one-week community radio workshop set on July 28 up to August 1.

The workshop will be held at the Cebu Business Hotel along Colon Street from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Speakers from Manila comprising priests and media practitioners will come to provide the training on how to set up a community radio.

“Community radio has been identified as one of the most powerful tools in disseminating information and building partnerships between broadcasters and local communities,” Silva said.

“This is a great opportunity that we could use to enhance our work of evangelization, catechism, faith discussions and community empowerment,” he added. — Jessica Ann Pareja/MEEV