ANNUAL MEETING OF THE CHAIRMAN BISHOPS AND REGIONAL SECRETARIES OF SOCIAL COMMUNICATIONS
March 15-18, 2012
A seminar was organized by Rev.Dr. George Plathottam, sdb, Executive Secretary of CBCI Office for Social Communications in Nav Sadhana from March 15 to 18, 2012. The theme was (Digital) Social Networking for Pastoral Ministry. The Resource Person was Mr. Farrell Shah, Kolkata. He underlined that the New Media (Internet, Twitter, Facebook, Youtube, etc) is communication and conversation rather than mere communication and keeps all the materials in details as well as it can reach before old media, where old media may not reach. The effective communicator needs to pay attention to POST (People, Objectives, Strategy Technology) and SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Ralistic, Time-Based) for meaningful and effective communication. The inaugural address and orientation was gelled by Prof. Sisir Basu, Head of Department, Communications, BHU, Varanasi. He said that the communication is cyclic, not linear. The gap between messenger and receiver is to be minimized; Communicator needs to be rooted sociologically and historically to the hearer. There is a need of flattening the walls between the communicator and receiver, clergy and laity by way of sharing and collaboration, transparency and equality. Communication is partly skill, partly art and partly science. Hence, upgradation is required time to time. All (Bishops, Priests, Principals, Teachers) need to learn to be good communicators to build good communities in the Church. The seminary was attended by 15 members, among them there were three bishops and one woman secretary, one lay man, who is the SIGNIS president, and the others were diocesan and religious priests. The participants praised highly the director and staff of Nav Sadhana for the comfortable accommodation and delicious food provided to them as well as for the fellowship and friendship experienced during the stay.
