Media Apostolate: Communicating the Gospel of Hope in joyful and challenging times

Sr Oluwakemi Akinleye fsp - Lagos

Gratitude to media men and women

The Jubilee of the World of Communications makes us grateful to the many men and women who spend their lives, time, energy, and talents in the media within and outside the Church. Some have worked as media professionals from their youth and continue to mentor the younger generation.

Proclaiming hope through media in Africa

Today, thanks to the growth and increase in the use of digital media technology on the African continent, there is better access to education, information, news, entertainment, and creativity through the media than in the past. Many can now swiftly receive daily news and information and share their stories through both traditional and social media.

As media professionals and apostles in Africa and elsewhere commemorate this week of grace, one cannot but ask how much hope and life-giving information is disseminated on the various media platforms? This calls for each media professional and institution to do some introspection. The many stories of poverty, abuse, insecurity, increase in crime rate and political instability on the continent flood the local and international media, so much that the stories of faith, beauty, resilience, courage and grace of the African people are sometimes not reported on or are regarded as not newsworthy.

Communication that is passionate

Pope Francis reminds communicators to promote “a communication that is passionate, curious, and competent, that knows how to immerse itself in reality in order to tell it.” In celebrating the Jubilee of the World of Communications, the Catholic media professional is called upon to proclaim the message of hope. This is not to deny the truth or give false assurance. It is a call to enlighten the Christian faithful and others about God’s gift of hope, which is genuine and does not disappoint. As Blessed James Alberione, the founder of the Pauline Family, often reminded his members, “You are called to be media apostles of hope, truth, charity and peace with your lives and work. Do it with joy.”