Writing workshop for Catholic media aspirants

The Social Communication Commission (KOMSOS) of Keningau Diocese organised a one-day workshop on Writing and Photography Basics for 60 media aspirants at St Francis Xavier Cathedral Parish on August 6, 2022.

Aug 12, 2022

The participants at the Writing and Photography Basics workshop at St Francis Xavier Cathedral, August 6, 2022.)


KENINGAU: The Social Communication Commission (KOMSOS) of Keningau Diocese organised a one-day workshop on Writing and Photography Basics for 60 media aspirants at St Francis Xavier Cathedral Parish on August 6, 2022.

Themed Catholic Writers: A Network for Communion, Participation and Mission, Chairman of KOMSOS Keningau Diocese Didiroy Joneh (Didi) said that a similar workshop had been conducted five years ago to recruit Catholic writers.

“For this workshop, we invited representatives from each Zone within the parish. It aims to create a network of writers to build the Church and to maintain continuous circulation of information about the diocese and the world,” said Didiroy.

The presenters of KekitaanFM, an online radio of the Diocese of Keningau, especially the new DJs, also participated in the workshop conducted by Peter Zeter, a writer and media practitioner, and Liza Magnus from the HERALD Catholic Weekly.

“Catholic writers or communicators need to pay attention and be courageous to mitigate the situation where some media ‘become a place for poison, hate speech, and fake news’,” said Peter.

The session started with the Bible Enthronement, followed by a short reflection by Sr Maria Thomas, FSIC. During the ice breaker session, DJ Kunang hosted activities and games for participants to get to know each other.

Liza, during her session Basic News Writing and Techniques said it would help participants to be creative. She also advised writers to remove negative attitudes in themselves that prevent them from becoming active writers.

“Many of us think that only events or activities at the parish and diocesan level are newsworthy and need to be reported.

We forget that, at the grassroot level, for example programmes at the Basic Christian Community (KKD), chapel or zone level, also have news elements. It is important to broadcast such events as it may give the needed inspiration to others,” said Liza, who has worked at the HERALD for 16 years. Bernadine Sebastian, a participant from the Apin-Apin Zone shared, “I actually came on my friend’s behalf, who was unable to attend. The experience was worthwhile. I was inspired by the speakers who encouraged participants to become ‘Spiritual Influencers’. I realised writing is not difficult, it just requires a little perseverance and creativity. This workshop made me more enthusiastic to be a media practitioner who spreads God’s love, and become an agent of peace when there is hate speech on social media!”

Didi, who is also the Chairman of KOMSOS for KSFX Parish and Studio Manager for KekitaanFM, said that through two practical exercises during the workshop, he hopes participants become more aware of the various issues happening around them such as the synodal process, understanding of the vision and mission of the Keningau Diocese, social issues such as the environment, family, Islamisation and so on.

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