By Emilie Ng
CATHOLIC communicators revitalised their mission to spread the Gospel message in media at the recent Australian Catholic Communications Congress in North Sydney from May 4-6.
More than 170 journalists, multi-media experts, religious, priests and bishops, including Brisbane Archbishop Mark Coleridge, and lay people working in Church communications attended the congress.
Themed around issues concerning the Catholic voice in secular and Catholic media, the congress offered opportunities to hear from religious and lay experts about telling “the good news”.
Delegates were invited to share responses on “hot-button issues” including euthanasia, religious tolerance, migrants and refugees, the family, the environment, and overseas aid.
Responses were presented to the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference plenary meeting held in Sydney following the congress.
Pontifical Council for Social Communications president Archbishop Claudio Maria Celli delivered the keynote address, and encouraged others to be witnesses of the Church’s “heart”.
“Our voice must express the freedom, joy and hope of being loved unconditionally by Christ if we are to change hearts,” Archbishop Celli said.
He said Catholics must have “music in their hearts” to attract others into the Church.
“If we have no music in our heart, our communication is void,” Archbishop Celli said.
He said the Church must learn the language of new culture in the digital realm.
Archbishop Celli shared some young people’s reactions to Pope Francis’ presence on Twitter, first launched by Pope Benedict XVI before his retirement in 2013.
“They told me in a very nice way, it’s the first time a pope is talking our language,” he said.
The ABC Religion and Ethics team, including Jane Jeffes, Noel Debien and John Cleary, offered support and dialogue regarding the Catholic Church’s perception in media, while Catholic media personnel invited the delegates to speak the Church’s voice louder in secular press.
Voice-over artist Robyn Moore, best known for voicing iconic koala Blinky Bill, provided entertainment and an inspiring talk at the congress dinner, sharing her conversion story to Catholicism in 1989, which followed an experience of Christ in the Latin Mass.
Visit the Australian Catholic Communications Congress website to view more photos and access resources.
