The Catholic Bishop of Enugu Diocese, Most Rev. Callistus Onaga has described media practitioners as the middle men between facts and society which entails that truth be told at all times. He said should the media fail in its sacred duties of telling the truth, the world would be fed with errors and falsehood capable of causing disharmony and chaos.
He made this declaration in his address to media practitioners last Sunday at Holy Mass held at Holy Ghost Cathedral, Enugu as part of the activities scheduled to celebrate the 2020 World Day of Communications. His Lordship described the work of journalists and every other media practitioner as one which also serves as a means of evangelization, stressing that truth as well as factual representation of events should be their hallmark. “It is a means of evangelization, that’s why truth should be told correctly, that is why the Church made it an annual event to remind media practitioners that it is their responsibility to communicate the truth. If you do not communicate the truth, truth will die”, His Lordship admonished.
Speaking further in his Homily, Bishop Onaga, while making reference to the promise of Jesus to his apostles before ascending into heaven, reminded all of his promise to send them the spirit of fortitude, wisdom, understanding and courage.
According to his Lordship, this spirit is known for inspiration, the spirit tells the truth to us as well as the entire world. “As the Pope puts it, if you are communicating, you are telling stories.
Our life is full of stories, but you have to tell the truth, you need courage to tell the truth. “These days more than ever, we need heroes of the truth. Remember, what you tell the world, they take and that is why it is very painful these days, we hear all kinds of stories contradicting one another. “Today, everybody has come to be a reporter through the social media. Since everyone has turned to be a reporter, can you the journalists tell us the truth? So that in the midst of all the untruths being told, you can now tell the truth and we use it to know the standard.” “ Let us know the truth. I urge you, direct the people.” “like the Pope said, as you are communicating, you are weaving facts together. You weave truths together.” “Please help the government to educate the people who still wallow in ignorance. This is the most trying period of communication. This is the time you can make communication become communication.” “Let people know the truth about what is in us.” His Lordship advised.
