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. ----------------- 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).