…As Awka Diocese Set to Mark Week in Style
By Rev. Fr Robert Anagboso
Following the declaration by the Supreme Pontiff, Pope Francis, of May 21, 2023 as the World Day of Communication, the 2nd edition of ComWEEk in Nigeria, which is an upgraded observance of World Day of Communication, will kick off in Awka Diocese from Sunday May 14 to Sunday 21 May 2023.
The diocesan bishop, Most Rev Paulinus Ezeokafor, has described the ComWEEK as a very important period, not only for the Church in Awka, but also for the Mother Church in general.
‘I expect all parish priests and parishioners to appreciate the abundant faith resources in the programme and be active participants in this year’s Communication Week. It is a moment of learning and growth,’ the Bishop enjoined.
The ComWEEK is a recent development which has sought to celebrate the normal World Day of Communication with a weeklong activity of seminar, teaching and formation. It is geared towards helping the faithful, according to the mind of the Church, to reflect on the importance of modern communication, vis a vis, the Church’s mission of Evangelization. Its maiden outing was last year.
With this year’s theme of “Speaking with the Heart: The Truth in Love”, (Ephesians 4:15), the Church seeks to teach her abundant children the riches of true communication, especially amid the current craze for fake news, disinformation and outright propaganda or misinformation.
With the directive and full support of the diocesan bishop, Most Rev. Ezeokafor, Fides will monitor and cover the programme’s event in all the deanery headquarters of the diocese. Although every parish must hold her own programme, yet on the days Fides will visit a particular deanery headquarter, the parish priest of each parish under the deanery will send at least two representatives to the deanery headquarter.
Fides gathered that since the National Directorate of Social Communication did not provide a formal uniform hand book for the theme, parish priests are required to assemble resource persons to brainstorm and bring out a working document for use during the week. This has the advantage of underlining the immediate pastoral need of the local Church.
The grand finale of the event comes up on Sunday 21 May 2023 with a Pontifical concelebrated Holy Mass at St Patrick’s Cathedral, Awka, with media practitioners in attendance. At the parish level, parish priests are expected to celebrate the same Mass of World Day of Communication. There will be mini-launch/free will donation towards the support of the diocesan and national directorate of Social Communication. All parish priests are enjoined to vividly explain to the faithful the importance of this exercise, and for the faithful to donate generously towards the Church’s mission of evangelization.
Below is the Time Table for Fides Media Monitoring and Coverage for each deanery.