The need for media education cannot be overstressed, particularly media literacy. Literacy today is defined as the ability to access and assess online information, share knowledge, connect texts, collaborate with others, build networks, create and remix multimodal texts, and participate in online simulations or games. Media education, which will include aspects of media literacy, must be a component of all forms of education in the Church; be it catechism, schools, seminaries, workshops, seminars and all formation houses. Directors of communications, jointly and individually, need to draw up a media education syllabus for this purpose. All pastoral agents must make personal and utilise all opportunities available to keep abreast with the social media; all need to have media education.
…Social Network facilitates greater interaction and evangelization
Since the modern media, social and mass media, indeed make the world a global village, it means there are higher and easier possibilities of interaction with people, even of far distant places and of a wide variety of cultures. An open mind to other people’s idea and culture becomes indispensable, so that people will learn from others that which is “good, and beautiful.” This is a great challenge to evangelisation. It is in this spirit of dialogue that Christians, like other people in the society who hold different views, must also approach the social network to share their convictions, their faith, in the message of Christ, with others, and the values of human dignity which His teaching promotes.
• Most Rev. (Dr.) Alfred Adewale Martins, Archbishop of the Metropolitan See of Lagos.
