Western Regional Catholic Council calls for more interactive communication

Pune – The Western Regional Catholic Council has organized a meeting in Pune and has called for greater interactive communication at all levels both within the Catholic community and with others.

The theme of the meeting, held from Dec. 11– 12, 2004 at Ishvani Kendra, Pune, was, “Called to be a Communicating Church”.

The Council stressed on the need for the Church to communicate common concerns of society, "which are based on shared values." Efforts were made to highlight human rights, and address especially issues of poverty, injustice, and violence.

It was strongly felt that communications should be integrated into all apostolates in order to make them truly communicative. The meeting also insisted that communication must be integrated into the formation of priests, religious and catechists. Children and young people should be introduced and trained to participate in mass media.

Recognising the importance of folk media, the Council declared, “The alternate media such as folk arts, dance, drama, music, keertan, katha, street–plays, Christmas cribs, Passion scenes etc. should be promoted more enthusiastically.”

The 128 participants of the meeting included Archbishop Stanislaus Fernandes of Gandhinagar Archdiocese, Archbishop Filipe Neri Ferrao of Goa and Daman Archdiocese, Archbishop Emeritus Raul N. Gonsalves of Goa & Daman Archdiocese, Bishop Thomas Dabre (Vasai), Bishop Edwin Colaco (Amaravati), Bishop Sylvester Monteiro (Aurangabad), Bishop Valerian D’Souza (Pune), Bishop Godfrey Rozario (Baroda), Bishop Thomas Elavanal (Kalyan), Bishop Gregory Karotemprel (Rajkot), Bishop Percival Fernandes (Auxiliary Bishop of Bombay) and Bishop Agnelo Gracias (Auxiliary Bishop of Bombay), officers of the Catholic Religious of India (Western Region) and diocesan representatives.

Urging all church personnel to use their position and opportunities to communicate more effectively, the Archbishop of Gandhinagar, Archbishop Stanislaus Fernandes declared, “No doubt modern techniques and means of communication are a great help. But the most important and vital tool for Catholic communicators is to witness to the person and teachings of Jesus Christ.”

Inviting all church personnel in their communication to emulate the example of Jesus Christ, the Perfect Communicator, Archbishop of Goa and Daman Archbishop Filipe Neri Ferrao said, “All Catholics as communicators need to be inspired by the example of the Jesus Christ who always listened to people and to His Father, was sensitive to various needs of people and communicated with people in their own language through parables and stories.”

National Secretary of the Catholic Religious of India, Brother Mani felt that in keeping with the world, which is becoming more and more interactive in all its communications, the church has to promote the same at all levels.

Appreciating the emergence of an interactive communication in the Catholic Church the Secretary General of CBCI, Bishop Percival Fernandes said, “In keeping with the spirit of the Second Vatican Council, the Catholic Church is becoming more and more interactive in its communications. This trend is clearly seen in the Basic Christian Communities and in the functioning of the Diocesan Pastoral Council”.

Bishop Thomas Dabre of Vasai, underlining the need of integrating spirituality in to communication, said, “As Catholic communicator one must not fail to stand for ones identity and proclaim the Good News.”

The Executive Secretary of the CBCI Commission for Social Communications, Father Henry D’Souza and the Director of the Salesian Information Service, Mumbai, Father Darryl D’Souza animated the study sessions on the theme of the meeting.

During the meeting of the Western Regional Bishops’ Council, Archbishop Stanislaus Fernandes was elected as the Chairman and Bishop of Amaravati, Bishop Edwin Colaco Secretary of the Western Regional Council (WRBC). Father Felix D’Souza of Bombay Archdiocese is the Secretary of the Western Regional Catholic Council.


By Father Henry D’Souza (The Executive Secretary of the CBCI Commission for Social Communications)