Fides Media Living the Faith
The World Communications Day takes pride of place as the yearly upholding of the pride of place of the media across the globe.
It is indeed remarkable that this year’s World Communications Day bears the lofty theme of “Come and See: Communicating and Encountering People Where and As They Are”, according to the message of His Holiness Pope Francis.
Established by Pope Paul VI in 1967, the World Communications Day is an annual celebration that encourages mankind to reflect on the opportunities and challenges that the modern means of social communication such as the press, motion pictures, radio, television and the internet afford the Church to communicate the gospel message.
The celebration of the World Communications Day happens is one of the crucial rewards of the Second Vatican Council that helped to open up the vast dimensions of faith.
The celebration has gone from strength to strength over the years, because the succeeding Popes have consistently recognised the positive opportunities the communications media afford for enriching human lives with the values of truth, beauty and goodness.
This of course does not discountenance the possibly negative effects of spreading less noble values and the pressurising of minds and consciences with a multiplicity of contradictory appeals.
In this day and age of Fake News, Hate Speech and the COVID-19 scourge, there is the critical need of the awareness of the world as a global village where the power of the media as a free market place for philosophies and values should be accountable in proclaiming the values that are beneficial for human development and the welfare of the people.
In this light, the government and people of Anambra State wish the Catholic Diocese of Awka a rewarding 55th World Communications Day celebration
Signed:
Don Adinuba
Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment