Buka – Atolls Deanery Pastoral workers gather for Social Communications Formation Program

Hahela, Bougainville: An ecumenical group of forty participants from the Buka – Atolls Deanery comprising of pastoral workers, youth leaders, Catholic Women’s Association representatives, Catholic Men’s Association representatives and people living with special needs underwent a one – day Social Communications formation program on Thursday August 14 at the Our Lady of the Ascension Hahela Parish.

Group picture taken after the program in front of the Cathedral

The workshop was hosted by the Diocese of Bougainville Social Communications team and was facilitated by the Catholic Bishops Conference of PNGSI Social Communications Commission.

The formation program for pastoral workers emphasized the need to recognize and embrace the Holy Trinity as the source through which we must continue to draw strength and guidance from in order to use the different means of media to be creative evangelizers to inspire others.

Participants doing group discussions

Sr Daisy Anne Lisania Augustine MSC facilitated the sessions to help the participants understand communication from the Catholic Church’s perspective and had everyone actively participating in group discussions and presentations.

Vicar General of the diocese Fr Polycarp Kaviak congratulated the participants for their active participation and contribution in the group discussions and encouraged them to continue being good communicators in their pastoral ministries.

Catholic Women’s Association representative Mrs Helen Hakena said the training was beneficial to everyone who attended to keep them in tuned to the current developments on new means of evangelization and the risks that come with it and to help them to be creative evangelizers through media to inspire others.

Group presentations

Sessions covered during the program were: Theology of Communication and Church Documents on Communication.