Asia: Building Church and parish in the digital world

(Vatican Radio) - From our correspondent at the 8th meeting of the Asian Bishops’ Institute for Social Communications (BISCOM-8), Fr. Joseph Paimpalli S.J.

We heard Tuesday evening from Dr. Sebastian Periannan, former director and present professor of social communications at St. Peter’s Pontifical Institute in the Southern Indian city of Bangalore. He spoke to the participants of Biscom-8. He focused on ‘Social networking and the Asian Youth: Pattersn of use and Implications for Pastoral Ministry.’ During his presentations, many a times he referred to Cardinal Martini for his inspiration. He spoke to Vatican Radio about his proposals and his inspirational guide Cardinal Martini. Listen:

Dr. Sebastian, share with our Vatican Radio listeners about the implications of Social Networking for pastoral ministry in Asia?
The specific aims of our pastoral youth ministry are youth awakening, life sustaining, faith enriching and word of God liberating for the youth and with the youth and to the youth. The essential components for our ministry are resources, core values, formation and transformation leading to “Salvation”.
Youth awakening: We need to create a networking of an E-Church, E-Parish by offering and disseminating news and information on socio-pastoral and spiritual activities. This stage aims at inviting youth to become ministers and providing them with the understanding and skills needed for effective ministry to build up God’s kingdom. Responding to youth’s need for spiritual, moral and personal counseling and guidance to integrate media awareness would enable the youth to use the media in a better and responsible way. The way in which we approach the youth must lead them for a life of joy and optimism. Therefore, “learn” social media, because it is not an option, since it enables in promoting innovative uses of new technologies, such as mobile devices and on-line social networks.
Life sustaining: The faith aspect of youth can be easily sustained through the catechetical ministry such as using and imparting of the essence of you-cat. Effective ministry with youth is built on relationships. Due to the influence of social media and networking, if the relationship dimension of youth is at stake, or broke, we need to build it through the ministry of healing and reconciliation with self, others, and with God. ”Our moral life has its source in, faith in God, who reveals his love to us” (CCC, 2087). A regular study of Catholic faith and morals, will sustain the youth in the journey of life and faith. Youth love life in its noise and colors. They are creative. They need to celebrate the daily life through a life of sanctification through the use of social media as well. In order to sustain, we need to “Identify” youth key understanding of faith and morals.
Faith enriching: Catholic Family, Basic Christian communities and social networking form and play a vital role in the enrichment of youth life. Effective youth ministry is the task of the parents and duty of the basic Christian community. They have the responsibility to establish a Godly atmosphere in the home and parish. They need to be leaders in worship, prayer, reading and studying the Bible and in fellowship with other believers. Advocacy and practice of justice will enrich the life of the youth. Advocacy means to work on behalf of young people, interpreting their concerns and needs and standing up for them in the Christian and larger communities. We also need to educate the youth to the demands of justice and social problems involved in the negative impact of media, and motivating them to build up a just, honest and clean society in respective countries. Youth prayer groups will enrich and intensify their faith, hope, and love. Youth groups guided and conducted by prayer groups will never decline in faith, on the contrary they will flourish. Youth must be guided to encounter the Person Jesus in all the day to day activities. We need to “Map” youth requirement with social media programs and networks.
Word of God liberating: Youth have to be taught and guided to a celebration of sacramental life. For example, the World Youth Days were characterized by their spiritual and sacramental thrust. The sacrament of reconciliation and the Holy Eucharist were the essential dimensions of the World Youth Day. Asia is a tapestry of cultures, languages and religions. The young need to grow in an ambience of a healthy environment of interaction with other religions and culture. The natural openness on the part of the young to values of justice and social service, of fair play, of honesty needs to be tapped by the pastoral leader to bring about needed liberation. Youth have to be liberated through the study of the Bible, Word of God. Because, youth’s main need is to know the Bible and engage in biblical prayer known as Lectio Divina. Bible study or prayer group for youth is one of the effective ways to help them to grow in faith and encounter Christ the Lord. The centrality of the Word of God is, Christ Jesus, who must rule and love the youth through social media along with other sources of inspiration. Finally, youth have to be formed to be catalysts of new civilization: of love, harmony, communion, progress that respects the human person. The celebration of religious and cultural festivals, particularly in their social aspects could serve to bring about greater appreciation and respect for the religions and culture of others. Here, we need to “Measure” youth engagement with media and Word of God celebration.
Dr. Sebastian, tell us about your inspirational man Cardinal Maria Matrini, who passed away last week?
It is at Lectio divina I like to talk about Cardinal Maria Martini. He was a great scripture scholar of international repute. He was a rector of Gregorian university and later archbishop and Cardinal. He was a leading person in communication. I know about more than 50 books he has written. He has given me at least six books which were in Italian. I have read many of his books particular the book ‘communicating Christ’. It was one of the interesting books he wrote. I have used many of his lessons for my classes in theology. When I met him in Jerusalem four or five years ago, he was just relaxing, but at the same time studying bible, teaching and helping others. So I had a wonderful opportunity of meeting this great man, a great mind, a person with a lot of dimensions, communication capabilities. He told me anything can happen, anything may grow, communication is important but lectio divina, we must educate ourselves, particularly our young to read the bible in a scriptural way – prayerful reading of the scripture. Use of the word of God, that is going to liberate us, going to help us. I think Cardinal Martini had a great vision for the church and he was a great man of communication. Some years ago he was in Bangkok for the world congress of SIGNIS members – that time called UNDA. He was given a great standing ovation for the contribution he has made to pastoral planning and communication. He was a great inspiration for me. Ultimately we are trying to have basic communion in the church.
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The week-long BISCOM-8 has the theme "Social Media: Surfing, Networking, Blogging, Gaming, Addiction - Challenges and Opportunities for Communication Ministry in Asia". 45 participants including 14 bishops, archbishops from 12 South Asian countries are participating in the program.
The aim of BISCOM has been designed to equip bishops of South Asia with necessary skills and knowledge for handling modern media. It also aims to develop a pastoral approach to the emerging media.
The BISCOM 8 is organized by the Office of Social Communications (OSC) of the Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences (FABC).