Communicate hope and trust in a troubled world

Catholics around the world, including those in Sabah, have been urged by Pope Francis to communicate hope and trust rather than generate apathy, fear or the idea that evil has no limits.

Jun 09, 2017

INANAM: Catholics around the world, including those in Sabah, have been urged by Pope Francis to communicate hope and trust rather than generate apathy, fear or the idea that evil has no limits.

“We have to break the vicious circle of anxiety and stem the spiral of fear resulting from a constant focus on ‘bad news’ such as wars, terrorism, scandals and all sorts of human failure,” he said in his message to mark 51st World Communications Day (WCD).

This clarion call to communicate hope and trust was the central theme of the WCD celebration of the Archdiocese of Kota Kinabalu, hosted by St Catherine’s Parish here on Sunday, May 28.

Fr Paul Lo, assistant parish priest for Inanam, Manggatal and Telipok, told the congregation who filled the church for the WCD Eucharistic celebration, that people the world over are more attracted by sensational stories related to the lives of Holywood stars rather than to good news. He gave examples of good news and how it could be communicated.

At the same time, he advised them to be beware of “fake news” that could destroy the good name and reputation of the persons concerned.

Instead, Fr Lo said, their communications should reflect the role and values of God which are love, forgiveness, and truth. They should bring solutions to society and help to generate hope, trust and confidence.

In conjunction with the WCD this year, the Social Communications Commission (SOCCOM) of the KK Archdiocese produced a two-minute video clip as a tool to promote this call to communicate hope and trust.

This video production, in English and Malay, tailored for use by Catholic dioceses in this region covering Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei, is made available worldwide on the Internet via the youtube channel.

The video, shown at the WCD celebration here, was produced by Fr Thomas Madanan, spiritual adviser of SOCCOM, who gave a special blessing at the end of the Mass to those working in the communications media.

Joseph Leong, SOCCOM chairman, led a delegation from the Commission to the celebration. Parish officials, Paul Augustin, chairman of the Parish Pastoral Council at Inanam, and Francis Ten, head of its Liturgy Committee and organising chairman were on hand to welcome the guests.

A group of young children from the parish presented a short skit on the WCD theme, Communicating Hope and Trust in Our Time, as well as a medley of songs.

The celebration was enhanced by the creative use of posters, photos and other publicity materials to portray the role and functions of social communications, the Pope’s message for the WCD and the significance of this universal event. -- SOCCOM KK

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