KK prelate urges Catholic writers to serve needs of social media

KOTA KINABALU –  Catholic writers in the Archdiocese of Kota Kinabalu have been urged to look into ways of serving the needs of those actively engaged in the social media by supplying them with appropriate materials that would communicate the Gospel message in a subtle, appealing and yet effective manner.

Archbishop John Wong made the call in his address at the close of a two-day advanced journalism training workshop here on Saturday (2 Dec 2017) organised by the Social Communications Commission (SOCCOM) of the archdiocese.

“Now that you are better trained and equipped, I invite you to move beyond. Watch and see the needs of our people, especially our youth. Seek God’s inspiration to enter into new fields of communication,” he said.

He encouraged them to broaden their outlook and to expand the scope of their journalism work beyond the confine of merely writing news for the Catholic media, like the diocesan website and the official publication, the Catholic Sabah.

“For instance, reflect on how to make a wider use of graphics and video materials in the social media, the use of art and culture as vehicles to communicate the Gospel message,” he suggested.

He also stressed that  “It is our duty and responsibility to have eyes to see the needs of our time and to give these pressing needs a clear and definitive answer.”

The archbishop said he was confident the writers could rise to the new challenge of this so-called “New Information’ age.”

The advanced practical journalism workshop, held at the parish centre of the Sacred Heart Cathedral here, is a follow-up of the training course organised by SOCCOM in December last year on basic techniques and skills in news gathering and writing. – Joe Leong