There is need for proper fund-
ing of communications in the
Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos so as to enable it effectively undertake its task of evangelization
in a technology-driven world.
The above is a major outcome of resolutions reached recently at a one day conference of Catholic Communicators with the Archbishop held at St Agnes Catholic Church, Maryland with the theme “Mobilizing Catholic Media Practitioners for the Mission of the Church in the digital era.”
Most of the experts who spoke at theevent which attracted over two hundred participants across the parishes,identified paucity of funds as one of the major set backs in the effective coordination and harmonization of communications and media related activities in the Archdiocese over the years.
A panel of discussants consisting of Mr Abraham Ogbodo, a former Editor of Guardian Newspaper, ace broadcaster, Soni Irabor and former ManagingDirector of Independence Newspaper,Ted Iwere, all advocated proper funding and equipping of the communications office and personnel in order to attract competent professionals for better result.
They equally stressed the need to streamline the strategic online presence of the Church to make its task of evangelization more result oriented and global in outlook.
In view of the strategic nature of communication to the mission of the Church, and to ensure proper funding,one of the lead speakers, Msgr Joseph Faniran, a professor, recommended the setting aside of 2% of funds raised from annual Harvest of all parishes.
This idea, which he said was already operational in some dioceses in the country, together with the mandatory yearly donations on the World Day of Communications, will provide adequate pull of resources needed to manage the communications apostolate.
Participants also agreed that Catholic Journalists should endeavour to provide more Catholic contents and materials for the various platforms for information disemination such as the Catholic Herald Newspaper, Archdiocesan websites and other digital online platforms.
The need for the establishment of parish communications committee was also highlighted with parish priests mandated to take the lead for effective coordination.
Earlier in his keynote address, the Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, Most Rev Dr Alfred Adewale Martins lauded the Directorate of Social Communications and the Archdiocesan Communications Commission for their zeal in carrying out their mandate.
While revealing the approval of the nine-point transformation agenda submitted to it by the Commission,he noted that with the Directorate
now operating from its permanent location at Ojota, all Communications and media activities of the Archdiocese will be coordinated with greater ease.
With the Conference over, there are indications that the Archdioces would be working towards the setting up of a multi-media centre to help generate and provide multi-media visual, text, audio and graphic content for the promotion of Archdiocesan activities.
