Bishop Roszynski SVD Encourages SOCOM Summit Participants

Alotau: The Social Communications Commission of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands (CBC PNGSI) recently held a SOCOM Summit for Diocesan Media Personnel in the Diocese of Alotau - Sideia.

(SOCOM Bishop Deputy His Lordship Jozef Roszynski SVD with the SOCOM staff and participants)

On March 20, 2025, the Deputy for Social Communications, Most Reverend Bishop Jozef Roszynski, SVD, addressed the participants, emphasizing the vital role of media in the Church’s mission to spread the Gospel.

He encouraged diocesan media personnel to actively post on their respective social media platforms, stating, “There is a lot of negativity in the world today, and it is our duty to bring balance by sharing the good news.”

Bishop Jozef stressed the importance of timely and meaningful content, urging participants to share updates on feasts, church celebrations, and homilies to keep the faithful engaged.

Reflecting on his experience at the Jubilee of World Communications, he expressed pride in representing the Catholic Church of PNG alongside Sr. Daisy Anne Lisania Augustine, MSC, and two young journalists during the Feast of St. Francis de Sales in Rome.

Acknowledging the growing influence of social media, he said that many people, especially the younger generation, may not always attend church physically but remain active online. “It is up to us, as Church communicators, to reach them through social media. We must share the homilies of priests and bishops, as well as simple yet significant events happening in our dioceses in this way, we can bring our young people back to the church,” he said.

Bishop Jozef also emphasized the importance of a strong online presence, stating, “We must make our faith known to the world so others can experience it as well. In this way, we are evangelizing.”

He expressed his deep appreciation to the SOCOM secretary and her team, along with the organizing team on the ground, for making the summit possible.

Notably, for the first time in SOCOM’s history, all bishops sent their diocesan media personnel to participate, marking a significant milestone for the commission.

Bishop Roszynski concluded with a powerful message, “Remember, our mission is to evangelize using the God-given tools of social media.”