Religion 19/08/15 Church communicators dared to fill social media with 'good news' - Catholics need to provide 'faith news' not 'fake news,’ bishop says

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Church communicators dared to fill social media with 'good news'

Catholics need to provide 'faith news' not 'fake news,’ bishop says

Bishop Mylo Hubert Vergara (right), head of the Episcopal Commission on Social Communications, participates in an activity during this year's National Catholic Media Convention. (Photo by Ayie Villanueva)

ucanews.com reporter, Manila
Philippines
August 15, 2019

A Philippine Catholic bishop dared those working for the Church's communications ministry to fill the various social media platforms and the internet with "good news." Speaking before a national assembly of Philippine Catholic media workers, Bishop Mylo Hubert Vergara urged media practitioners to find ways to facilitate "communion." The bishop of Pasig, who heads the Episcopal Commission on Social Communications, echoed Pope Francis’ call to use the internet to help build Christian communities. "The challenge for us now is the shift from communication to communion," said the prelate during this year's National Catholic Media Congress. Bishop Vergara said what is important is that the spread the Gospel "will not just stay in the social media but will also touch the hearts of the people for them to experience God’s love." He said that building a community of social communicators is needed amid the "persecution" being experienced by Catholics in the country. "It is at this time that we cannot work alone, that is, to each his own. We need to work together given our identity and mission as one body of Christ, one Church," he said. Bishop Marcelino Antonio Maralit Jr., incoming head of the social communications commission, expressed hope that the Church will be able to adapt to developments in technology. "We already have a network of good news. It means that we too have to organize to provide 'faith news' not 'fake news’,” the prelate told participants of the gathering. More than 180 participants from dioceses across the country joined this year’s gathering that was held in the province of Batangas, north of Manila. The four-day meeting was organized by the Catholic bishops' social communications commission to strengthen collaboration among Catholic media organizations.