By Tianne Ramona Pereira
KUALA LUMPUR — “How does the Church exist in the digital world? How can we be relevant as a Church in a world that is fast-changing?”
These were some of the questions Fr Dr Clarence Devadass raised to Catholic media practitioners and social communications representatives in the Archdiocese of Kuala Lumpur May 18.
In conjunction with the 58th World Day of Social Communications, Archbishop Julian Leow and the Archdiocese Social Communications Ministry hosted an appreciation lunch attended by 70 professionals from various communication platforms.
Fr Clarence, as the Ecclesiastical Assistant for the Archdiocese Social Communications Ministry, set the tone with an insightful welcome speech. He stressed the imperative for the Church to adapt to the digital landscape and emphasised the need to cultivate “digital missionaries” in response to the call for synodality. Fr Clarence highlighted recent themes from World Communications Days, focusing on matters of the heart, aligning with the Holy Father’s emphasis on this aspect.
Archbishop Julian Leow expressed gratitude to the attendees for their continued contributions as media practitioners. He drew attention to an image depicting two hearts — one real and the other artificial — as a metaphor for discerning truth amidst the rush for breaking news. The archbishop emphasised the importance of accuracy, truth, and creating uplifting content that resonates with humanity’s inherent goodness.
Participants were also given an insight on the Archdiocese Social Communications Ministry’s mission, vision, and statistics, setting the stage for an engaging dialogue session.
The participants candidly shared challenges faced in the secular world, including difficulties in engaging diverse age groups and the necessity of speaking authentically from the heart. Collaborative efforts were encouraged to address these challenges collectively as a Church community.
Adeline James introduced the World Catholic Association for Communication (SIGNIS), underlining its role as a Roman Catholic lay ecclesial movement for communication professionals. She highlighted past, ongoing, and future projects, inviting attendees to connect with the wider Catholic communications community.
The event concluded with fellowship and networking, fostering connections and solidarity among participants. Through reflection, dialogue, and collaboration, attendees aimed to chart a path forward for the Church’s meaningful presence in the digital world.
