Banjarmasin diocese reflects on media, to meet the challenges of evangelization
Jakarta
(AsiaNews) - A three-day workshop devoted to writing, photography and
journalism to strengthen the field of social communications and respond to the
challenges of evangelization through the new media. This
was the initiative recently promoted by the Diocese of Banjarmasin, to strengthen
contact among the faithful in the diocese who are geographically and socially "dispersed"
throughout the whole South Kalimantan Province. Unlike many other communities, such as the Diocese
of Java, Banjarmasin is formed by "only" nine parishes; for
example it takes up to seven hours from Banjarmasin to reach the church of the
Hail Mary in Tanjung. For
this reason, the leaders of the local Catholic community, after persistent
requests from local priests, organized a seminar in the house of prayer
Banjarbaru Sikhar, which involved 30 participants from throughout the diocese.
The
group was made up of very different people: nuns, seminarians, high school and
college students, and the simple faithful from remote areas as well as from the
city. The
seminar was an opportunity to meet and for discussion as well as promote
further knowledge and the use of photography, the visual arts , writing and, in
particular, the internet for preaching the Word of God .
At
the end of the seminar, the participants were able to interview Fr. Lingai
, superior of the Missionaries of the Holy Family ( MSF) in the province of
Kalimantan and other priests who have dedicated their lives to the
evangelization of the tribals. Others
have recounted the experience of the nuns who work in novice formation. Some
of these interviews were included in a special copy of the diocesan newspaper
and, at a later posted on the website of the diocese.
Sister
Maria Mikaella, of the parish of Hail Maria in Tanjung, said she is grateful to
the Banjarmasin Commission for Social Communications "for this initiative
a source of great inspiration." Other
participants appreciated the character of "interconnection",
encounter and dialogue between the different realities of the diocese which are
so distant and separated [at least geographically]. Sister
Stefani Restituta said it was a way to "connect with the modern world,
where there are no limits of space and time in communications." Speaking to
AsiaNews at the conclusion of the seminar Fr. Doni Tupen MSF said that such a program will
also be exercised to newly ordained priests as a project of their ongoing
formation in getting to know the world of online media better as an effective
tool to proclaim the Word of God.
Indonesia
is the world's most populous Muslim nation in the world (86 per cent, mostly
Sunni). Although it upholds constitutional principles of basic personal
freedoms (including religious freedom), it has increasingly become the scene of
violence and abuse against minorities. Christians represent 5.7 per cent of the
population with Catholics just over 3 per cent. Hindus are 1.8 per cent; 3.4
per cent belong to other religions. Catholics are a small minority of about
seven million people, or about 3 per cent of the country's population (3.6 per
cent in the Archdiocese of Jakarta).
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