November 17, 2023 – Mangaluru – In a collaborative effort, the CCBI Media Apostolate, in partnership with the Sandesha Foundation for Culture and Education, KRCBC Regional Office of Communications, orchestrated a ground-breaking three-day training program aimed at enhancing social communications within the Church. Titled “Unlocking Communication Excellence: Empowering Dioceses,” the comprehensive training took place from November 15 to 17, 2023, at the Sandesha Centre, Mangaluru.
The program, strategically designed to impart knowledge and skills to Church communicators, welcomed participants with an insightful briefing by Rev. Dr. Sudeep Paul, MSFS, Regional Secretary for Social Communications, and Director of Sandesha Foundation of Culture and Education. The sessions were inaugurated by the Most Rev. Dr. Henry D’Souza, Bishop of Bellary, and Chairman of the CBCI Commission for Social Communications, who stressed the paramount importance of effective communication within the Church and its affiliated bodies.
Rev. Dr. Cyril Victor, Co-ordinator of CCBI Media Apostolate and Director of Bangalore Archdiocesan Communication Centre, led engaging discussions on various topics such as ‘Exploring Institutional Communication Strategies’ and ‘Identifying Resources for Success,’ shedding light on the media initiatives undertaken by the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI).
The training sessions also featured a dynamic line-up of speakers, including Rev. Dr. Sudeep Paul, MSFS, addressing the critical subject of ‘Handling Crisis Communications: Preserving and Defending the Diocesan Image.’ Dr. Juby Thomas, Associate Professor of Journalism, shared insights on ‘Mastering Newsgathering and Reporting Techniques to Promote Diocesan Identity’ with ‘Effective Public Relations and Media Relations.’
Highlighting the role of technology, Mr. Royal Praveen D’Souza and Mr. Reji P. John, Assistant Professors at St. Aloysius College, Mangalore, conducted a session on ‘Harnessing the Power of Social Media and AI Applications: Promoting the Diocesan Identity.’ To add a creative touch, Rev. Fr. William Marcel, SJ, of St. Aloysius College, offered valuable insights during his session on ‘Crafting Impressive and Creative Media Content.’
The culmination of the three-day program featured a stimulating panel discussion on various diocesan media initiatives in the Karnataka Region. Rev. Dr. Cyril Victor expressed gratitude in acknowledging the collective efforts to unlock communication excellence and empower Church communicators with the necessary skills to navigate the evolving landscape of social communications.
Rev. Dr. Cyril Victor
Coordinator, Media Apostolate