In thanksgiving to the Lord for 75 years of Philippine foundation in 2014 and 100 years of foundation in Italy of the Daughters of St. Paul this year, the Paulines Institute of Communication in Asia Foundation Inc. (PICA) coordinated with the Pauline sisters in the branch houses to offer seminar/workshops on Media Literacy Education (MLE) for the New Evangelization to the poor dioceses in the country. This is also in line with the thrust of the Philippine Church which celebrates the Year of the Poor, and following the directives of Pope Francis to use the new media for the new evangelization.
Starting in September 2014, Sr. Consolata Manding, PICA Directress, and Sr. Ellen Lim have been conducting the said seminar/workshops to priests, seminarians, teachers, catechists, lay ministers, men and women religious, student representatives from private and public schools, accompanied by their bishops and directors of Social Communication Commissions of the dioceses.
With the help of the Sisters in the branch houses who arranged with the local ordinary and the directors of the diocesan social communications commission, PICA was able to reach the following dioceses: Ipil, Sibugay – Zamboanga in September 2014; Boac, Marinduque in October 2014; Bangued, Abra in October; Catarman, Northern Samar in December; Calbayog, Western Samar in December 2014.
After the memorable Papal Visit in January, the seminar/workshops continued in the apostolic vicariate of Tabuk, Kalinga Apayao in February and the dioceses of: Ilagan, Isabela in February; Surigao del Norte in March; Borongan, Samar in March; Naval, Leyte in March; and Butuan, Agusan del Norte in April.
In some dioceses, the seminar lasted 2-3 days while others requested for further sessions to include other pastoral workers and leaders. In Butuan, for example, five days was allotted to accommodate 50 diocesan clergy on the first day, 54 teachers and student representatives on the second day, 40 religious sisters on the third day, and 30 catechists and Eucharistic ministers on the fourth and fifth day.
The participants expressed their gratitude for the enriching presentations and group work which they promise to share and echo to their respective parishes or schools. Many of the bishops and clergy were so touched that their poor dioceses were chosen to receive the much-needed formation on the media and new evangelization. A good number of them have also requested follow-up sessions particularly in Butuan where 400 parents will undergo the same seminar in October 2015. More dioceses are scheduled to be visited in the coming months.
Together with these seminar/workshops, the Daughters of St. Paul within that mission territory bring books and other materials for a book exhibit with the help of some Pauline Cooperators and Paulines lay staff. They also provide the MLE seminar kits for the participants.