By Melissa Fernando
THAILAND — The SIGNIS Asia Assembly, a gathering of 72 Catholic communicators, recently brought together media professionals from both Church media and the secular media.
The assembly, convened under the theme, “Communicating the Gospel with the Heart in the Digital World”, encapsulated the essence of spreading love, faith, and authentic communication in today’s rapidly changing world.
Bishop Joseph Prathan Sridarunsil set the tone by comparing the delegates to fertile soil, encouraging them to absorb and share positive stories in the digital age. He emphasised their roles as “Sowers of God’s love” in a world often dominated by negativity and discrimination.
Fr Stanley A. Kozhichira, SIGNIS Asia President, echoed this sentiment, acknowledging the challenges faced in proclaiming the Gospel effectively in the ever-evolving communication landscape.
The theme chosen drew inspiration from Pope Francis’ message of speaking the truth in love, emphasising the importance of building authentic, heart-centred human relationships through communication. This mission seeks to transform communicators into “Heart Speakers”.
SIGNIS World President, Helen Osman, via Zoom, stressed inclusivity, encouraging the involvement of more young people and women in this vital work. She underscored the importance of strengthening SIGNIS, an association of Catholic communication professionals, and hoped for greater support from Catholic leadership.
In his keynote address, Cardinal Sebastian Francis, Bishop of Penang, emphasised the significance of “Communicating the Gospel with the Heart in the Digital World”.
The chairman of the Office of Social Communication (OSC) of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (FABC), viewed the digital age as a calling from the Lord and a means for the Church to reach those at the peripheries. He celebrated digital missionaries worldwide who have been tirelessly working to spread the Gospel.
Cardinal Francis also discussed the evolving role of AI and its impact on human thought and machine computation. He called for open hearts in embracing this digital mission, expanding the Church’s reach.
The first session featured a panel discussion, exploring the theme from the perspectives of youth, lay professionals and women.
Fransiscus Borgia Edgar of Indonesia presented based on a survey from the perspective of 175 Indonesian youth, stressing on the importance of “Homo Digitalis” and to speak from the heart when promoting the essence of hope, as young people in this digital age are the “thinking generation”.
Meanwhile, Dr Ratchada Monthienvichienchai, SIGNIS Secretary-General and executive director of LiCAS.news, shared on the importance to be a storyteller with a heart centring on compassion.
Dr Lucy Gabriel from India addressed the challenges faced in Asian society and advocating for their recognition and involvement in the Church’s ministries, highlighting women’s role as skilled quilters in the digital world.
Fr Anthony Le Duc, on the second day, presented on “Communicating The Gospel and Cyber Realities” towards a full presence. He highlighted on nine “Beatitudes” of communicating the Gospel in digital space. He urged the assembly, “to be aware of the pitfalls on the digital highway” and to “translate the spirituality of presence into the physical context”.
Dr Anna Jihyun You of South Korea spoke on “Communicating Mission with the Heart”. She said, “the more you speak, the less time you spend listening,” and calls to integrate the digital age with Catholic “messengers of the Gospel with love”.
During the workshop, participants engaged in small group discussions, emphasising the need to recognise the human aspect of the audience and establish meaningful connections online.
The workshop stressed the importance of illustrating the divine in the secular world and showcasing real-life expressions of faith.
