COMMUNICATIONS WEEK INITIATIVE IN NIGERIA
14-21 MAY, 2023.
BY +JOHN CARDINAL ONAIYEKAN,
Archbishop Emeritus of Abuja.
Social communications is an important aspect of our modern world. Modern technology has revolutionalized its reach and impact. Governments know this, and they try to keep a close watch on it.
The Church has always acknowledged this, and in recent times has made it a major aspect of its apostolate and evangelization project. This became obvious already in the Second Vatican Council, which devoted a whole document to it, with the title: Inter Mirifica; Decree on the Means of Social Communications.
Since then, the Popes have kept it in the forefront of Church attention, especially in the annual celebration of the World Communications Day (WCD), with a powerful message for each year. From Pope Paul VI in 1967 till Pope Francis this year, we have a long list of unbroken messages that has now become a rich body of doctrinal and pastoral authoritative teaching – or magisterium – of the Church on this all-important matter. This year’s message is already out with the theme: Speaking with the Heart “The Truth in Love” (Eph. 4:15.)
The First Synod of Bishops for Africa of 1994 also identified Social Communications as one of the five themes of the evangelization project in Africa. See Chapter VI, paragraphs 122-126 of the Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation, Ecclesia in Africa of Pope St. John Paul II. This document and its message has greatly impacted the life of the Church in Africa and beyond. Between 1994 and now, 2023, a lot of water has passed under the bridge. It has been three decades of galloping development in communications technology. Looking back now, we are surprised that in 1994, computers were rare while internet, emails, cell phones, Whatsapp, facebook, twitter and the whole gamut of social media did not exist. But the First African Synod and its document Ecclesia in Africa prepared the Church in African for these revolutionary developments.
The Church in Nigeria did not lag behind in the universal and continental involvement of the Church in these communications matters. Effective structures have been put on ground to promote and coordinate the pastoral action of the Church in this area of evangelization. These structures flow from the national to the grassroots levels. The CBCN Communications Department of the CSN has done much to carry out its mandate to lead the Church in Nigeria to be in the forefront among local Churches in this area. The national structures have been replicated at diocesan and even parish levels. All this has resulted in effective and efficient action of the Church at every level of our local Church in Nigeria. Our flourishing electronic and print media projects did not emerge by chance. They are the result of hard work, intense planning and adequate funding.
It is in this context that we must commend and congratulate the CBCN Communications Department for the elaborate plans it has put in place for the celebration of the 2nd Communications Week. Since the 1st celebration last year, this week has raised our communications awareness to a much higher level. A beautiful and elaborate brochure has been prepared and produced with a national consultation. It is now being distributed to the dioceses to guide effective grass root celebration. It is hoped that in each diocese, the bishop and his communications team will give this celebration the urgency and importance that it deserves.
Evangelization is the main task of the Church. Evangelization is very much a matter of communication. We shall succeed or fail in our primary task of evangelization depending on how we positively exploit or culpably neglect the means of social communications that God has put at our disposal. May the Holy Spirit continue to guide our efforts.
