Four FSPs, Sr. Consolata Manding, Sr. Clothilde de las Llagas, Sr. Pinky Barrientos and Sr. Mary Anne padilla, joned hundreds of Catholic media professionals gathered at Chiang Mai, Thailand on October 18-21 for the worldwide convention of SIGNIS (World Catholic Association for Communication).
The SIGNIS World Congress held in Asia for the first time had participants of 568 media professionals coming from 69 countries. It reflected on th theme “Media for a Culture of Peace-Children’s Rights, Tomorrow’s Promise.”
[com20091030_signis] The World Congress opened on October 18 with a solemn Eucharistic celebration presided by the Apostolic Nuncio to Thailand, Archbishop Salvatore Pennacchio at the Hotel Empress Convention, Chiang Mai. In his homily, he told the participants that opening the congress on the day of World Mission Sunday is a fitting way of living their commitment of proclaiming the Good News.
In a video message, Cardinal Claudio Celli, President of the Pontifical Commission on Social Communication, relayed the Holy Father’s message to the participants. The Pope underscored the significance of the Congress’ theme, saying that it is important to hear the children’s voices and learn from them and see them as protagonists of the present.
Reflecting on the theme in his opening address, SIGNIS World President Augustine Loorthusamy noted that the congress’ theme made the assembly different from previous gatherings. He said that as professional communicators, we are morally bound to open up opportunities for our young to express themselves and to help us see the world we have created through their eyes, their frame of reference.
Keynote speakers include Zilda Arns Neumann, who spoke on Human Rights-Children’s Rights, Jan Servaes and Steven Gan on Media for Social Transformation and Michael Herl and Angeline Khoo on Growing Up in a Digital World. Filipino theologian Jose de Mesa gave an input on the Theology of Communications.
Other Paulines who attended the congress were Sr. Bernadette Lee of Korea and Sr. Rose Pacatte of US, who was also a presenter in one of the workshops during the congress. There were also two Pauline cooperators from Singapore. Among the participants were 70 priests and 150 religious Sisters involved in the ministry of Communication coming from the continents of Europe, Africa, America, Asia and Oceania.
