Bishop urges Church media to work together to spread God’s truth

A Catholic bishop encouraged a wide variety of church media organizations to work together to combat “fake news” and spread the “truth of Christ”.

Speaking at the end of the 4th National Catholic Media Convention in Davao City Aug. 9, Bishop Mylo Hubert Vergara of Pasig said the time is calling “to strengthen out social communications ministry”.

“Let us use our resources and our circle of influence to proclaim the truth, to be bringers of Good News,” said Vergara, chairman of the bishops’ Commission on Social Communications.

“And when we work together we can be one moral and spiritual voice proclaiming the truth of Christ and making that stand out amidst fake news, given all the lies that we hear,” he said.

He particularly emphasized the need for the church to take more effective steps into social media which, when used properly, can help Catholics communicate and build community.

According to him, church media must “motivate each other” to see “how we can work together given this digital age” even amidst difficulties.

“As we move forward the Lord wants us to reach out to more people. The digital age is an opportunity to really preach Christ,” Vergara said.

More than 140 participants composed of priests, religious sisters and lay people from different dioceses gathered for the three-day convention aimed at fostering collaboration among the Catholic media.

In his homily at the convention’s closing Mass, Vergara encouraged the church media to always work in the spirit of compassion.

“I think this is how where we have to realize the foundation of any social communications ministry— God’s compassionate love for us,” he said.

He also reminded them that Catholic journalists become bearers of Good News when “they profess the truth of God” and when “they participate in the sacrifice of Christ”.

“This is what we are called to hold on to and I hope we continue our work (to evangelize),” Vergara said.