A two day National Seminar “ENVISIONING MEDIA 2025” was held at Don Bosco, Okhla, New Delhi on the 21st and 22nd February 2014. It was jointly organised by the CBCI Office for Social Communications and the Society of St. Paul. Mr. Cyril John, Chairman, Asia-Oceania Catholic Charismatic Renewal Services led the prayer. Fr. Michael Raj, SSP, Provincial Superior, welcomed the participants to the national capital and said that their presence at the seminar was a reaffirmation of their commitment to use the power of the media to proclaim the Gospel and its values to the men and women of today. He quoted the Holy Father’s message for the 48th World Communication Day saying “A culture of encounter demands that we be ready not only to give but also to receive. Media can help us great -l y in this, especially nowadays,when the networks of human communication have made unprecedented advances. The internet, in particular, offers immense possibilities for encounter and solidarity. This is something good, a gift from God.”
The Inaugural address was delivered by Most Rev. Anil Couto, Archbishop of Delhi. In his keynote address Mons. Paul Tighe, Secretary Pontifical Council for Social Communications, Vatican City, Rome spoke on ‘Inter Mirifica’ The sessions that followed saw eminent persons from the Social & Media World, like Bishop Chacko Thottumarickal, Chair person, FABC office for Social Communication, Dr. Jeffrey Mickler, SSP, Dr. George Plathottam, SDB – Secretary, CBCI Office for Social Communication, Mons Paul Tighe, and Fr Raymond Ambroise, Secretary, FABC-OSC, addressing the audience on the theme Church and Main Stream Media: challenges and possibilities.The speakers were John Dayal, Veteran journalist, Esther Kar, Jt.Secretary, National Commission for Minorities and Anna MM Vetticad, journalist.The session concluded with the Valedictory Address by Justice Kurien Joseph, Judge of the Supreme Court of India. In the evening Archbishop Salvatore Pennachio, Apostolic Nuncio to India, presided over the Holy Eucharist to mark the Centenary Celebrations of the Pauline Family. On the 22nd of February 2014, Archbishop Rev. Thomas Menamparampil, SDB spoke on “Communications Media for Community Building” and Fr. Jeffrey
Mickler, SSP spoke on “Creative initiatives in Communication Media for Evangelization”. The participants later left for Teen Murthi Bhawan for the last session of the day.The theme for the session was India 2025 – Democracy & Media. The Chief Guest was Most Rev Albert D’Souza Arch Bishop of Agra and SecretaryGeneral,CBCI. The Chairperson for the session was Mr. Naveen Chawla, Former Election Commissioner of India. After the invocation, led by Fr. Arokiaswamy SSP, the welcome address was delivered by Fr. George Plathottam SDB, Secretary CBCI-OSC & Director, NISCORT. After various presentations and a few comments the vote of thanks was proposed by Rev. Fr. Michael Raj SSP. The seminar thus came to a fitting conclusion. It is our sincere hope that this seminar creates in us and makes us all aware of the need and urgency of networking and collaborating in using media at the service of the Gospel for the good of all humanity.
Sr. Victoria
