Philippines: Pauline Family in Social Media Management Seminar at the 108th CBCP Assembly

Manila, 21-23 January. The Pauline Family in the Philippines takes a historic involvement and collaboration with the Catholic Bishops’ Conference (CBCP) in the just concluded seminar on media management and social media. Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle invited Seàn-Patrick Lovett, vice president of the Centre for Research and Education in Communication and director of Vatican Radio’s English Programme, and Fr. Jerry Martinson, SJ, vice president of Kuangchi Program Service in Taiwan to give the seminar to the bishops as they gather for the 108th CBCP Assembly.

The first day of the seminar was about the communications approaches in this era of New Evangelization under the Pontificate of Pope Francis, which himself has been notably very open with the use of social media. A workshop on social media and media management were done on the 2nd day. Members of the Pauline family from the Society of St. Paul, Daughters of St. Paul and the Pious Disciples of the Divine Master helped Lovett and Martinson in this workshop. The SSP Media Team also took a full coverage of this seminar.

CBCP President and Archbishop of Lingayen-Dagupan, Most Rev. Soc Villegas said that “the bishops humbly allowed themselves to be taught by younger people, by religious who might not be as well trained as they [bishops] are in theology but they are willing to learn from others. I think this should be celebrated as a step towards communion in the Church.”

Lovett said he was thrilled to see the bishops’ “transformation” in seeing social media and new communication media as a positive experience, empowering and “something they need to do” in the present time.

On the part of the Pauline Family, Lovett said that Blessed James Alberione is smiling at his children in the Philippines.

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