Bishop Onaga urges media workers to communicate truth

The Catholic Church,  on Sunday,  celebrated the 57th World Communications Day with a call on media workers to always communicate the truth

 At the Holy Mass celebrated to mark the day at  Holy Ghost Cathedral, Enugu, Catholic Bishop  of Enugu Diocese, Most Rev Callistus Onaga, in his homily, presented Pope Francis’ message on the Theme: ‘Speaking  with the Heart, the Truth in tove’.

 Bishop Onaga said “the central idea is to  see how  we can communicate the truth .The message of the Pope is so essential , especially in this our country, Nigeria. When we speak the truth with love, the miracle of encounter is made because everybody will understand it if it is done with love”

“Communicating with love is for everyone to speak the truth with charity. You don’t abuse people. We keep our tongues from speaking evil. With our tongues, we bless God, with the same tongue we curse people. It’s a kind of contradiction. Good conversation can build bridges”, he said.

The bishop advised journalists not to make relationship toxic.

“Don’t make relationship toxic. Something that is toxic is poisonous. Communication helps people to easily reflect the reality in which they live. Communication should always come from the heart, and  should show love”.

Communication from the heart, he said, is for everyone, media workers, families, leaders. He said people, when communicating, should communicate with love and respect.

The cleric  urged journalists to  communicate with open heart and mind, speak the truth with respect,  be mindful of how they use their tongues.

” We need communicators who are open to dialogue. Continue to tell the truth .Don’t depend on hearsay. What should be communicated should be able to resolve misunderstanding and bring peace,” he said.

 “In order to speak well, it is enough to love well.We should also communicate our anger with love,” Bishop  Onaga advised.

He said that the Holy Father, Pope Francis said: ” We need communicators who are open to dialogue.True peace can be found in mutual trust.”

He advised journalists to be factual in their reportage and desist from all forms of propaganda.

In his keynote address on the topic, ‘The Place of Uncompromising  Truth  in Nation Building  and Development , the Undisputable Role of the Communicators’, Head of  Mass Communication Department , Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT), Prof IfeanyiDidiugwu, advised that people should deviate from doing anything that will affect the sensibility of the people.

He noted that development will thrive when the truth is communicated with respect and everyone does the right thing.

In his presentation ,Rev Fr, Prof. Innocent EbereUwah of the  Department of Film and Multimedia Studies, Faculty of Communication and Media Studies, University of Port Harcourt,  spoke on the topic,” Truth in Love(Eph 4:15) Import and Value of  Pastoral Communication in the Salvific Mission of Church”.