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1.
Why a Pastoral Plan for Social Communications?
1.1
Communication is very basic to the very identity and mission
of the Church.
[“Jesus Christ came to communicate the fullness of life
so that all could have ‘life, and have it in abundance
(Jn. 10:10)’. The disciples of Jesus are commissioned
to ‘go and proclaim the good news to all nations’
(Mt 28:19). (CBCI GBM ’04, n. 6-7)]
1.2 Today’s communications situation demands a
planned approach
[India too is experiencing a media explosion. The Indian society
is profoundly influenced by the communication revolution. It
is impacting all aspects of human life today. In such a situation,
the Church in India cannot be a silent spectator. It needs to
have a planned approach to communications apostolate.]
1.3 The Church documents urge to have a Pastoral plan
[Urging all the dioceses and Episcopal Conferences to have pastoral
plans for communications the Vatican Document, Aetatis Novae
says, “Catholic media work is not simply one more programme
alongside all the rest of the Church’s activities: social
communications have a role to play in every aspect of the Church’s
mission. Thus, not only there should be a pastoral plan for
communications, but communications should be an integral part
of every pastoral plan, for it has something to contribute to
virtually every other apostolate, ministry, and programme.”
(AN, n. 17; also Inter Mirifica, n. 21; Communio et
Progressio, n. 162, 165, 172; Redeptoris Missio,
n. 37c)]
1.4 FABC OSC insists on a Pastoral Plan
[“Every Bishop’s Conference must have a Pastoral
Plan for Communication, which includes also the communication
dimension for every ministry of the conference. Such a Pastoral
Plan is to incarnate the prophetic, proclaiming mission of the
Church in media – shaped and media – conscious society.”
(FABC BM ’96)]
1.5 CBCI GBM ’04 requests
[“A Pastoral Plan for Social Communications should become
an integral part of the mission of the Church. We request that
the CBCI Commission for Social Communications to draw up a Pastoral
Plan, which would include a vision and strategies to stimulate,
inspire and promote Catholic activities in this field. Thereby,
the whole apostolate of the media will be ‘placed under
a single, overall direction. Communio et Progressio,
n. 169” (CBCI GBM ‘04, n. 8)]
2.
Communications reality today
2.1
Emergence of a new media culture
[The world is experiencing the emergence of a new culture that
“originates not just from whatever content is eventually
expressed, but from the very fact that there exist new ways
of communicating, with new languages, new techniques and a new
psychology”. (Redemptoris Missio, n. 37)]
2.2 The means of social communication have become chief
means of information and education
[“In an era of globalization, ‘the means of social
communication have become so important as to be for many the
chief means of information and education, of guidance and inspiration
in their behaviour as individuals, families and within society
at large.” (Ecclesia in Asia, n. 48)]
2.3 The mass media are influencing universally
[“Nowhere today are people untouched by the impact of
media upon religious and moral attitudes, political and social
systems, and education.” (Aetatis Novae, n. 1)]
2.4 The younger generation is growing in a media
conditioned world
[“In particular, the younger generation is growing up
in a world conditioned by the mass media.” (Ecclesia
in Asia, n. 48)]
2.5 Media are exercising profound influence in India
[“India we realize is making great strides in the field
of Information Technology. The press, radio, cinema, television
and other Information Technologies have expanded tremendously
in the last few years. These have enabled people to relate and
communicate to each other even when separated by long distances,
thus building a world-wide-web. The media are exercising a great
influence on the minds of the people and creating public opinion.”
(CBCI GBM ‘04, n. 1)]
2.6 Media also have negative influences
[“While the media bring information, education, and entertainment
and create public opinion, they also have some negative influences.
Some of the values propagated by the media are contrary to the
Gospel and to our culture. An increase in violence can sometimes
be traced to the influence of media. Family life, in particular,
has been profoundly affected with the promotion of consumerism
and values opposed to the sacredness of marriage being beamed
into the home.” (CBCI GBM ‘04, n. 3)]
2.7 The Church's evangelizing mission too is deeply
affected by media
[“Inevitably, the Church's evangelizing mission too is
deeply affected by the impact of the mass media. Since the mass
media have an ever increasing influence even in remote areas
of Asia, they can assist greatly in the proclamation of the
Gospel to every corner of the continent.” (Ecclesia
in Asia, n. 48)]
2.8 Church in India already has a good communication
establishments and networks
In spite of many odds and difficulties, the Church owns many
well established communication centres, excellent training institutes,
well accepted publications and above all scores of trained and
committed media persons and professionals both in the church
sector and secular media. Besides there are good Catholic press
and Catholic publishing houses, radio and television production
centres, institutes for performing arts, offices for public
information and media relations, institutes and programs for
training in and about media, media research, and Church-related
organizations of communications professionals viz. Signis India
and the Catholic Press Association of India.
3.
Inspiration
3.1
The Triune God is a God of communication
[“The Triune God is a God of communication. Our faith
teaches us that God is not a solitary individual in lonely isolation.
Rather, He is a trinity of persons in deep inter-personal communion.
Creation is one form of his communication outside of Himself.
Further, He communicates Himself to humanity to build a community
of love amongst all peoples. He spoke through the prophets and
others in preparation for the full communication in His Son,
Jesus Christ. “In ancient times God spoke to our ancestors
in many and various ways through the prophets, but in these
last days he has spoken to us through his Son. (Heb. 1:1-2a).”
(CBCI GBM ‘04, n. 5)]
3.2 Jesus communicated the fullness of life
[“Jesus Christ came to communicate the fullness of life
so that all could have “life, and have it in abundance”
(Jn. 10:10). He was in constant communication with people. His
success in communication depended on his personal witness. While
proclaiming his message of love he, the ever compassionate Saviour,
adapted it to suit the people, particularly the poor and the
marginalized.” (CBCI GBM ‘04, n. 6)]
3.3 Disciples are commissioned to witness and proclaim
[“The disciples of Jesus are commissioned to ‘go
and proclaim the good news to all nations’ (Mt 28:19).
This commission implies communicating the whole person of Jesus,
His word, His life, His message of Redemption. The most important
and most effective means of communication is the WITNESS of
personal holiness and an authentic life of discipleship. Taking
into account our socio-political-economic-religious context,
it also implies proclaiming Kingdom values in an inculturated
manner for the transformation of the world.” (CBCI GBM
‘04, n. 7)]
4.
Aims of Social Communications
4.1
Unity and advancement of all peoples
[“Media, we recognize, are ‘gifts of God’
to humanity. They are in ‘accordance with his design to
unite people in fellowship’ and help them ‘to cooperate
with his plan for their salvation’ and work for the ‘unity
and advancement of all peoples. (Communio et Progressio,
n. 2)” (CBCI GBM ‘04, n. 4)]
4.2 Advancement of the plan of salvation
[“The Church sees these media as ‘gifts of God’,
which in accordance with his providential design, unite them
in brotherhood and so help them to cooperate with his plan for
their salvation”. (Communio et Progressio, n.
2)]
4.3 Fostering well-being of society
[“The Church stresses the responsibility of media to contribute
to the authentic, integral development of persons and to foster
the well being of society. ‘The information provided by
the media is at the service of the common good. Society has
a right to information based on truth, freedom, justice and
solidarity.” (Ethics in Advertising, n. 1)]
4.4 Respect for the right to information and duty to
seek information, which should lead to better relationship,
openness, sharing and culminating in communion.
[“Modern man cannot do without information that is full,
consistent, accurate and true… With the right to be informed
goes the duty to seek information. Information does not simply
occur; it has to be sought. On the other hand, in order to get
it, the man who wants information must have access to the varied
means of social communication. In this way, he can freely choose
whatever means best suit his needs both personal and social.
It is futile to talk about the right to information if a variety
of the sources for it are not made available.” (Communio
et Progressio, n. 34)]
4.5 Formation of Christians
[“It is the Church’s birthright to use and own any
of these media which are necessary or useful for the formation
of Christians and for pastoral activity. Pastors of soul have
the task of instructing and directing the faithful how to use
these media in a way that will ensure their own salvation and
perfection and that of all mankind.” (Inter Mirifica,
n. 3)]
4.6 To accomplish the evangelizing mission
[“In more recent times the Church has considered even
the instruments of social communication as providential means
for the accomplishment of its mission to ‘preach from
the housetops’ (Lk 12, 3), "to all nations"
(Mk 16, 15), ‘to the end of the earth’
(Acts 1, 8), the word of salvation.” (To the Training
of Future Priests Concerning the Instruments of Social Communication,
n. 3)]
5.
Identity of Christian communicators
5.1
Inspired by Christ
[“Inspired
by the life and teachings of Jesus Christ, Christian communicators
build a new society based on love and service.”(FABC BM
2000)]
5.2 Faithful to the Gospel
[“The Christian communicator should move freely in different
ways of communicating and be able to balance the use of the
media of communications according to the call of the Gospel.”
(FABC BM, 2000)]
5.3 Credible and relevant
[“The
Christian communicator must become a credible and relevant messenger
of the Good News.” (FABC BM, ‘01)]
5.4 Constantly dialoguing with peoples and cultures
[“Christian communicators by their witness and actions,
enter into dialogue with peoples and cultures through social
communications.” (FABC BM ’97)]
5.5 Promoter of human dignity
[“Convinced that all human beings are created
in the image and likeness of the divine and have equal
dignity, Christian communicators engage themselves promoting
human dignity and human rights, more especially of the marginalized
and neglected sections of the society.”(FABC BM ‘99]
6.
Guiding principles for the Pastoral Plan
6.1
God-centred and Asian in values
[“Christian communication must help to keep God and bring
Him back into the centre of human life, which corresponds very
much with Asian values.” (Ecclesia in Asia, 29)]
6.2 Promoting common good
[“The total output of the media in any given area should
be judged by the contribution it makes to the common good. Its
news, culture and entertainment should meet the growing needs
of society.” (Communio et Progressio, n. 16)]
6.3 Fostering a people-oriented communication
[“To be aware of the fact that secular media in our countries
are not always people-oriented, liberating and contributing
to a healthy development, this calls on the Church to make a
serious move towards an alternative, culture-based, indigenous
and people-oriented communication.” (FABC BM, ’97)]
6.4 Promoting a communication that empowers people
[“Empowering people with knowledge and skills in all forms
of communications and making communications play an active role
in all aspects of the Church's work.”]
6.5 Integrating the Good News in to the new media culture
[“It is not enough to use the media simply to spread the
Christian message and the Church’s authentic teaching.
It is necessary to integrate that message into the ‘new
culture’ created by modern communications.” (Redemptoris
Missio, n. 37, EA, n. 48)]
6.6 Fostering an alternate culture
[“Against the dominance of a ‘consumer culture,’
Christian communicators should help to build alternate cultures
based on a deep and communicating spirituality.” (FABC
BM, ’99)]
7.
Goal
To
BUILD A ‘COMMUNITY OF COMMUNITIES’ OF ALL PEOPLE IN THE SPIRIT
OF JESUS CHRIST THROUGH SOCIAL COMMUNICATIONS.
8.
Mission/Strategy and Responsibility
|
Strategy(Activity)
|
Responsibility |
|
8.1
Mission: To motivate/ facilitate
8.1.1 Rejuvenating our diocesan Commissions and Communication
Centres so that “they become truly institutions which
communicate and network with local Christian media professionals
and other like-minded persons, providing them with pastoral
assistance.” (CBCI GBM ‘04, n. 7 |
8.1.1.1
Diocesan Bishop will constitute the commission.
The commission will meet regularly to coordinate and supervise
the ministry. |
|
8.1.2
Motivating, animating and coordinating activities of the
Catholic Media Organizations, communication institutes
and communication Centres for optimum service to the community
and society. (YKJ National Assembly, 2000) |
8.1.2.1
National/regional
/diocesan commissions |
|
8.1.3 Facilitating as soon as possible,
in every region/diocese setting-up of Commissions for
social communications at the regional/diocesan levels,
an Office for Social Communications, and preparing a Pastoral
Plans respectively. |
8.1.3.1
Regional Chairmen/Local Bishop/ Diocesan Pastoral Council/
Council of Presbyters.
|
|
8.1.4 Facilitating the identification
and appointment of a talented and trained spokespersons
who can establish links at different levels – deanery/
diocesan/ regional/ national. (CBCI GBM ’04, n.12) |
8.1.4.1
Bishop/ Personnel Board
|
|
8.1.5 Keeping in place a Crisis Communication
Team to manage crisis situations. Evolve an action plan
to manage communications in the event of a crisis.
|
8.1.5.1
Bishop/Commission /Director
|
|
8.1.6 Identifying appropriate and talented
church personnel and getting them trained for communications
service. |
8.1.6.1
Bishop/Commission /Director
|
|
8.1.7 Motivating church personnel
and laity to communicate the Good News through their communications
activities. |
8.1.7.1
Director/ Council of Presbyters/ Pastoral Council
|
|
8.1.8 Motivating all Church personnel
to actively participate in the new opportunities created
by media and the information technology to share the Good
News and spread the Kingdom of God by fighting the menace
of crime, corruption and communalism. (CBCI GBM ‘04, n.
4) |
8.1.8.1
Commission/ Director/
Seminary
Rector / Pastoral Centre / Director |
|
8.1.9 Acting as a watchdog on media
issues. |
8.1.9.1
Commission
/Director/PRO
|
|
8.1.10 Assisting other church commissions
in providing communications
components in their respective services. |
8.1.10.1
Commission/ Director
|
|
8.2 Mission: Training
8.2.1 To promote proper formation programmes
to adequately train all leaders of the community - bishops,
priests, religious and lay leaders in communications so
that they can effectively discharge their duties for evangelization
and defence of the genuine interests of the Church and
society. (CBCI GBM ’04, n.17) |
8.2.1.1
National Commission/ regional commissions/ centres
|
|
8.2.2
To encourage adequate formation of seminary formators,
future diocesan and religious priests to proclaim the
Word effectively and celebrate the Sacred Mysteries meaningfully.
Efforts must be made to improve their communication skills.
A
proper media course should
be part of the seminary curriculum. (CBCI GBM ’04, n.
18) |
8.2.2.1
Bishop/Seminar Rector/Dean |
|
8.2.3 To facilitate the integration
of communications training in to all formation - biblical,
catechetical, educational, healthcare and other. (CBCI
GBM ’04, n. 18) |
8.2.3.1
Pastoral Centre/ Catechetical Centre/Director |
|
8.2.4 To make the catechists, teachers,
leaders in parishes and religious institutions, social
workers, and health personnel living agents of communication
to the public. (CBCI GBM ’04, n.19) |
8.2.4.1
Respective Commissions |
|
8.2.5 Motivating the church personnel
dealing with dealing with the publics to be people-friendly. |
8.2.5.1
Respective Commissions |
|
8.2.6 To identify and encourage creative
young talented persons to pursue a career in the media,
with a view to the future. (CBCI GBM ’04, n.19) |
8.2.6.1 Commission / Director |
|
8.2.7 To facilitate starting of courses/departments
of communications in Catholic colleges and Institutes |
8.2.7.1 Commission / Director |
|
8.3 Mission: To foster a culture
of interactive communications at all levels
8.3.1
Sensitising Church personnel to promote a culture of
communication
through interaction, consultation, participation and collective
action. |
8.3.1.1
Director/commissions
|
|
8.3.2
Making the church periodicals, websites, news-letters,
and notice-boards - channels of interactive communication. |
8.3.2.1
Persons concerned |
|
8.3.3
Training pastoral clergy, seminarians, religious and other
church personnel in communication skills and media education. |
8.3.3.1
Commission/Director |
|
8.3.4
Regular upgrading the communication technology and equipment
(telephone, e-mail etc) for better communication network
in the diocese. |
8.3.4.1
Bishop/Director/PRO |
|
8.4
Mission: To
cultivate media/ public
relations
8.4.1
Identifying, getting trained and appointing diocesan PRO. |
8.4.1.1
Bishop/ Director
|
|
8.4.2
To up hold the legitimate rights of media, and network
with the mainstream media to highlight people’s concerns
and the Church’s point of view. (CBCI GBM ’04, n.11) |
8.4.2.1
Commission/Director |
|
8.4.3
To cultivate good relations with media persons, invite
them from time to time, for a friendly dialogue and fellowship.
(CBCI GBM ’04, n.11) |
8.4.3.1
Commission/Director |
|
8.4.4
To give greater attention to the regional media, both
print and electronic, need to identify and train people
for this work. (CBCI GBM ’04, n. 11) |
8.4.4.1
Commission/Director
|
|
8.4.5
Initiating media awards for identifying and appreciating
outstanding media persons. |
8.4.5.1
Commission/Director
|
|
8.4.6
Organizing media seminars for sensitizing/ upgrading skills
of media professionals. |
8.4.6.1
Commission/Director
|
|
8.4.7
Defending the rights of media professionals in defence
of the freedom of expression. |
8.4.7.1
Commission/Director
|
|
8.4.8
Facilitating interaction with media persons, social activists
and social thinkers to foster good will. |
8.4.8.1
Commission/Director/PRO
|
|
8.5
Mission: To be agents of advocacy to uphold dignity and
human rights of all, particularly the marginalized by
creating public opinion.
8.5.1
Working with the members of other Churches and Ecclesial
Communities, and with the followers of other religions
to “ensure a place for spiritual and moral values in the
media.” (EA, n. 48) |
8.5.1.1
Commission/Director
|
|
8.5.2
Networking with media professionals of other faiths to
for relevant joint productions
|
8.5.2.1
Commission/Director
|
|
8.5.3
Making human rights and human dignity content of media
productions. |
8.5.3.1
Commission/Director
|
|
8.5.4
Sensitising media professionals to human rights issues. |
8.5.4.1
Commissions/Director
|
|
8.6
Mission: To promote universal media education.
8.6.1
To encourage people to be media users and dutifully alert
people to the threats being posed by the present mass-media
and educate them, particularly children and youth, to
“use the media for authentic and wholesome lives in accordance
with the plan of God.” (CBCI GBM ‘04, n. 4) |
8.6.1.1 Director / Diocesan
Education Office
|
|
8.6.2
To impart media education, which is concerned with helping
media, consumers develop an informed and critical understanding
of the nature of the mass media, the techniques used by
them, and the impact of these techniques. (CBCI GBM’ 04,
n. 4) |
8.6.2.1
Commission/Director
|
|
8.6.3
To be concerned about the influence of media on the family
and evolve programmes to make children, youth and parents
appreciative, critical and discerning consumers of media.
(CBCI GBM ’04) |
8.6.3.1
Relevant commissions / Director
|
|
8.6.4
Training of teachers and parents to impart media education. |
8.6.4.1Commission/Director
|
|
8.6.5
Organizing a Trainers Team to impact media education. |
8.6.5.1
Diocesan director
|
|
8.6.6
Preparing resource material for media education for various
sections such as children and youth. |
8.6.6.1
Commission/Director
|
|
8.6.7
Networking with media advocacy groups and NGO’s. |
8.6.7.1
Commission/Director
|
|
8.7
Mission: Making people’s need based productions and broadcasts.
8.7.1
Responding to issues concerning the community and responding
to them effectively through write-ups, letters to the
editor etc. |
8.7.1.1
Commission/Director/
PRO
|
|
8.7.2
Managing communication during crisis situation with the
help of Crisis Management Team. |
8.7.2.1
Commission/Director/
PRO
|
|
8.7.3
Contributing articles and productions, and creating forums
to build public opinion. |
8.7.3.1
Commission/Director/
PRO
|
|
8.7.4
Producing programmes (songs, cassettes, radio / T.V and
stage programmes) for proclamation, faith formation and
social/human development |
8.7.4.1
Commission/Director/
PRO
|
|
8.7.5
To improve the catholic periodicals, publications and
media productions by bringing in more professionalism
in order to make them truly communicative. (CBCI GBM ’04) |
8.7.5.1
Commission/Director
|
|
8.7.6
Making available the productions done already and producing
new ones as per need. |
8.7.6.1
Commission/Director
|
|
8.7.7
Looking out for opportunities to participate in the local
radio/ T.V./ Satellite Channel / Cable Networks. |
8.7.7.1
Commission/Director
|
|
8.7.8
Whenever needed building infrastructure such as audio
/ T.V studio, etc. |
8.7.8.1
Bishop/ Commission/ Director
|
|
8.7.9
Encouraging local talents to participate in the local
media facilities/opportunities. |
8.7.9.1
Commission/Director
|
|
8.7.10 Regularly improving and
overhauling the mobile unit/ stage troupe for better out
reach. |
8.7.10.1
Commission/Director
|
|
8.7.11
Periodically conducting feedback/surveys to identify people’s
communication needs and to assessing the effectiveness
of church’s communication work. |
8.7.11.1
Commission/Director
|
|
8.8
Mission: Promoting alternate media
8.8.1
To develop systematically, seriously and purposefully
alternate media such as folk arts, dance, drama, music,
keertan, katha, street-plays, Christmas
cribs, Passion scenes etc. to reach out to the least and
the last, of society. (CBCI GBM ’04) |
8.8.1.1 Commission/Director
|
|
8.9
Mission: Communications Day
8.9.1
To recognize that ‘Communications Day’ is a valuable opportunity
to sensitize the community, celebrate the ‘India Communications
Day’ with a meaningful liturgy and relevant programmes.
The Holy Father’s message for the day should be disseminated
to the grassroots even beyond the Church through the secular
media. (CBCI GBM ’04, n.18) |
8.9.1.1
Commission/Director
|
|
8.10
Mission: Resources
8.10.1
Personnel: The Indian Church is abundantly blessed with
talented and committed personnel both among the clergy,
religious and the laity. Efforts should be made to identify
them, adequately train them and appropriately utilize
their services for the communications apostolate. |
8.10.1.1 CBCI/ Commissions/
Bishops/ Major Superiors
|
|
8.10.2
Finances: The annual budget of the dioceses, institutions
and organizations should “allocate means
of obtaining and maintaining financial support adequate
to the carrying-out of the pastoral plan.” (Aetatis Novae,
n. 24) |
8.10.2.1
Bishops/ Commissions / Heads of Institutions
|
|
8.10.3
“Requests the bishops and the faithful of India to allocate
the Sunday collection of the India Communications Day
for communications ministry as follows: diocesan communications
commission: 40%, Regional Communications Commission: 30%
and the CBCI Commission for Communications: 30%.” (CBCI
SCM, New Delhi, Apr. 16-18, 2002) |
8.10.3.1
CBCI/ Bishops/ Parishes
|
|
8.10.4
Communications Foundation: “Start a Communications Foundation
with the Communication Day contributions and other donations
and to utilize the proceeds of the fund to support communications
ministry and prepare young talents for mainstream media.”
(CBCI SCM, New Delhi, Apr. 16-18, 2002) |
8.10.4.1
CBCI/ Commission/ Public
|
|
8.11
Accountability
8.11.1
All official records and assets of the national/regional/diocesan
Commissions/ centres and the Catholic Media Organisations
should be maintained and handed over to the new incumbents
while the new team of officers take over. Copies of the
same may be sent to appropriate regional/national Commission
Chairmen for information, continuity and transparency.
|
8.11.1.1 Respective
Directors/ Secretaries/ Office Bearers
| |
