• Enhance the TECH in CaTECHesis, CaTECHism
Most Rev. Emmanuel Adetoyese Badejo, Bishop of Oyo Diocese has urged the Church to embrace the youths as allies of the Communication apostolate. According to the prelate, the youth should be utilised as allies and not merely subjects in the evangelisation tasks of the Church. He said, “The limitless energy, creativity and zeal of the youth have always been a resource for the Church’s mandate of evangelization. “The youth, because of their communication skills, need to be seen as allies not merely as subjects in the tasks performed by the Church towards mission and evangelization. This includes traditional, relational, spatial and digital skills. If the youths are made to feel like partners and stakeholders in the mission of the Church, and encouraged to take initiatives, they will invest their skills in improving communications in the Church.” He stated this recently at the first synod of the Catholic Diocese of Osogbo at Our Lady and St. Kizito Pastoral Centre, Oke Gada Ede, while delivering his paper entitled, “The Church at the service of the people: Witnessing through education and social communication.”
Speaking on the need to put the Church at the service of the people through Social Communication which according to him encapsulates education processes and activities, he highlighted ten areas that the Church needs to pay attention to for future optimisation of social communication. He stressed that for the Church to truly witness to the Gospel through communication, she should necessarily undertake these ten tasks. Bishop Badejo listed the tasks: Seek a new understanding of Social Communication; Pastoral planning and budgeting for Communication on all levels; Periodic formation programme for pastoral agents/representatives; Prioritising the celebration of the Annual Communications Week; Energise communications in Small Christian Communities and groups; Co-opt the youths as allies in the Communication apostolate; Enhance the Tech in CaTECHesis/ CaTECHism; Engage with the modern day cultural environment and ideologies; Encourage and accompany media professionals and practitioners as well as Progressively imbibe the Synodal Process. Bishop Badejo expatiated on the ten tasks.
A New Understanding of Social Communication
“The Church addresses herself to social rather than mass communication. This is because it is comprehensive, all embracing and wider than Mass communications. Social communication addresses relationships and processes over and above tools, gadgets and means. It also concerns everybody and does not allow for language like “those communication people” from the clergy or religious. “Church communication is ad intra (homilies, catechesis, pastoral, finance, laity councils, associations and organizations group and social media, etc) and ad extra,(mass, social, digital media, with many different aspects under each of these aspects. It is important that the Diocese and parishes be more conscious of the ways in which every aspect actually constitutes a powerful mode of communication,” he explained.
Pastoral Planning and Budgeting for Communication on all levels
The Cleric stressed on the essence of planning for every important activity in life. “We need a road map and a budget which is itself a financial plan. When you have a plan, you may not achieve all your dreams but you will surely not remain where you are. “Planning helps to provide focus on necessary objectives and direction and budgeting helps to mobilize resources and to work with discipline and restraint. Diocese, Parishes, Churches and even church groups and societies should constantly sit down and ask: What exactly do we want to do and who should do what in communications? When, how and with what means? The Church document Aetatis Novae not only recommended this but also has a model plan that can be adapted.”
Periodic formation programme for pastoral agents
The Bishop of Oyo Diocese said that pastoral communication is everybody’s task, so every Catholic actually needs to be formed to some extent to be communicators of the gospel. He added, “This could be in their attitude, approach to life or just the basic use of their cell phones, messages they exchange and even the conduct. Most people can do this. Beyond that, formation programmes or exercises for designated agents of pastoral communication in the Dioceses or Parishes is necessary. “These are people who engage with different media and are willing to use them for the Church, whether internally or externally. Bishop Badejo advised Parishes and Dioceses to have a periodic formation and training programme on how to take good photographs, how to write news or report, how to read in public, how to use the microphone or the notice board, bulletin etc. “A critical part of this must also be a comprehensive media education programme which helps all to be critical consumers of media messages,” he stressed.
Prioritise the Celebration of the Annual Communications Week
He recalled that in 2021 the Catholic Bishops’ Conference approved the celebration of the Communications week tagged ComWeek in all parishes in Nigeria to primarily develop media culture in the Church and draw more attention to the Annual World Communications Day celebration and messages of the Holy Father as has been celebrated in the Catholic Church since 1967. “The ComWeek comprises an elaborate design to get the clergy, religious and faithful involved in appreciating, participating in and contributing to different aspects of pastoral communication wherever they are at. “It is designed and coordinated by the Directorate of Communications of the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, which proposes an annual programme and format around the theme chosen by the Holy Father and his message for Dioceses and Parishes to modify according to their local needs. It has great potential for improving communications in the Church at all levels and should be taken seriously.”
Energise communications in Small Christian Communities and Groups
He prefigured that small Christian Communities (SCC) can become an explosive evangelization means if they are energized with relevant and appropriate communication skills and means. SCCs are designed as a strategy of communication to help more people at the grassroots to participate in Church life. “This tallies with the purpose of the ongoing Synod on Synodality which seeks to also “democratize the methods of the SCC”. Many of the Churches we have today grew out of the SCC. “Yet we could do more with these communities if we apply the right communication strategies and media. Storytelling, music, drama, riddles, songs, poems, jokes, handbills, tracts and posters help not only to enhance participation but can powerfully boost conversion and church planting as well. Regular formation programmes can assist Church agents in this regard.”
Enhance the TECH in CaTECHesis/ CaTECHism
The prelate urged the Church to embrace presentation of religious information and doctrine through audio, video, animation, podcasts, clips cyber texts the website and generally the internet. According to him, the internet is a platform for communication and there is no reason why catechesis should be denied the benefit of the facility. “The same for other digital means of media for which content can be produced through traditional and group media readily available to us. “Tech catechesis is done using technology in a way that enhances the content and purpose of the message. This of course implies a readiness to engage in media literacy to equip the faithful with the knowledge and sensibility of informed engagement with and application of the media through which catechesis is communicated and the faithful, educated.”
Engage with modern day cultural environment and ideologies
Bishop Badejo said that we live in a dynamic, media driven society which generates ideologies that are capable of impacting on the doctrines of the Church and the faith of the people of God. He called for the Church to foster constant engagement with the media driving the ideological environment (radio, television, movies, skits and clips) in order to give appropriate theoretical guidance to the faithful in their interface with the media and media productions.
Encourage and Accompany Media Professionals and Practitioners
“The universal Church is committed in its teaching and practice to accompanying and supporting media professionals and practitioners in their challenging work,” he stated. The Cleric further stated, “This runs through the section on communications in the 2 African Synod Documents, Ecclesia in Africa and Africae Munus and even the preparatory document on the Synodality Process. Catholic Media Professionals deserve spiritual, intellectual and financial support to be able to accomplish the role which the Church expects them to play. “The Diocese and Parishes have an important role to play here, keeping the professionals and practitioners close to the activities of the Church and keeping them informed about the teachings that affect their profession. This concerns those who work in the print, electronica and digital media. There is a huge advantage to be derived therefrom.”
Progressively Imbibe the Synodal Process
On a final note the Bishop of Oyo Diocese described the Synodal Process of the Synod on Synodality as a communication project with African values as he urged everyone to assimilate the Synodal Process.
