This week, clergy, delegates from various parishes, as well as Catholic media representatives and journalists gathered for the Australian Catholic Communications Congress.
The congress, a three day event organised by staff of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, is described as one of the ‘largest triennial gatherings of Australian Catholic media, diocesan communications professionals, secular journalists and parishioners.’
The conference theme, “What is our voice? Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks” tackled the challenges of telling important stories in an overcrowded and often superficial media landscape.
The event featured an address from Archbishop Claudio Maria Celli, President of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications (PCCS).
“Our media is directed not just to Catholics, but to all people. They don’t exist only for–or are directed only to–people who already belong to the Church, rather they should also give careful attention to what exists in the soul of man, in his heart, where sometimes there can be distance from God, or many times, a deep nostalgia for God.”
“People no longer pay attention–if they ever did–simply because a church leader is speaking. Unless we engage digital media, we will wind up talking to ourselves.”
Participants also enjoyed a variety of workshops on technical media production skills as well as “Hot Topics” like ‘Euthanasia’ and ‘Migrants and Refugees’.
Speakers challenged the misconceptions and perhaps prejudices of the participants. During the ‘God’s Creation, The Environment’ workshop Bishop Columba Macbeth-Green, of the rural diocese of Wilcannia-Forbes spoke of the need for city dwellers to act more consciously in their use of resources. “We have to convert ourselves ecologically before we convert the world!”
“Rural people are being squeezed by environmental issues” he added.
Selina Hashem, Communications Manager at the Archdiocese of Sydney, challenged the audience’s conceptions during a ‘Religious Tolerance’ workshop.
“Serious Religious Tolerance goes beyond dialogue and into respectful engagement with the other.”
“We need to move away from the term tolerance and into the word dialogue” agreed conference participant Donella Johnston.
The event ended today with a final blessing from Bishop Peter Ingham.
“This conference is a great networking community, an opportunity to hear what other people are doing in their diocese and parishes.”
“Its been marvellously prepared and its filling my mind with things I can take on when I move back into the office” Mrs Johnston said.
