By JP Usanga
The Vatican has once again commended the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) for its efforts in organizing the Communications Week (ComWeek) in Nigeria. Through a letter to the National Director of Social Communications, Very Rev. Fr. Michael Nsikak Umoh, the Vatican lauded the CBCN’s dedication to enhancing media literacy among Nigerian Catholics.
While appreciating the “2024 Comweek” vest that was presented to him by Bishop David Ajang in November 2023, the Prefect of the Dicastery for Social Communication, Dr. Paolo Ruffini, expressed his enthusiasm for Nigeria’s readiness to host the third ComWeek from May 5th to 12th, 2024. The event will span Catholic parishes, seminaries, convents, schools, and other institutions. He noted that this year’s theme, “Artificial Intelligence and the Wisdom of the Heart: Towards a Fully Human Communication,” resonates with Pope Francis’ vision of leveraging artificial intelligence to bolster human interaction.
Additionally, the Vatican’s correspondence commended the 38th Annual Conference communiqué of CATHAN, titled “Theology, Culture, and New Media in Nigeria.” It recognized the pivotal role of digital media in transformation and called for a collaborative effort between theologians and communication experts to devise ethical policies for digital media utilization.
Communications Week, an initiative by the CBCN, is now in its third year and serves as an extension of the one-day World Communication Day (WCD). It begins the Sunday prior to WCD and concludes on WCD Sunday. Participants, including parishes, seminaries, convents, and Catholic families, are encouraged to engage with the teachings provided in the manual from the National Directorate of Social Communications.
A novel feature of this year’s ComWeek is a public lecture scheduled for May 8th, 2024, at the CSN Resource Center in Abuja. The lecture, titled “Artificial Intelligence: Challenges and Opportunities for Evangelisation and Social Development,” will be accessible to the public via the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria’s YouTube channel. The CBCN President, Most Rev. Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji is set to deliver the keynote address, with John Cardinal Onaiyekan attending as the Special Guest of Honor. The lead paper will be presented by Rev. Fr. Professor Anthony Akinwale, OP, with Sr. Dr. Florence Oso, EHJ, Mr. Lekan Otufodunrin, and Rev. Fr. Dr. Uche Obodoechina joining the panel discussion.
