Religion Brooklyn Boro

Downtown Brooklyn conference will explore role of social media in Evangelism

May 4, 2016 By Francesca Norsen Tate Brookyln Daily Eagle
The Rev. Thomas Rosica, C.S.B. Photo courtesy of Salt + Light
The Rev. Thomas Rosica, C.S.B. Photo courtesy of Salt + Light
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Yes, Pope Francis tweets!

DeSales Media Group, the communications ministry of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn, will sponsor the 25th diocesan World Communications Day Catholic Media Conference on Wednesday, May 11. The 25th annual event at the New York Marriott at the Brooklyn Bridge, 333 Adams St., Downtown Brooklyn, aligns with the Vatican’s 50th annual celebration of World Communications Day.

Pope Paul VI in 1967 established World Communications Day as a time to explore how modern means of social communication can best be utilized by the Church. Pope Francis has selected the theme “Communication and Mercy: A Fruitful Encounter.”

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What was once a local celebration has grown into a full-scale conference of media influencers. The purpose is to connect, inspire and bring together Catholic television, print and digital content creators, entertainers, innovators and media executives.

Two years ago, the Most Rev. Claudio Maria Celli, president of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, received Francis DeSales Distinguished Communicator Award. Upon winning, he spoke about the urgency of being proficient in social media, pointing out that Pope Francis tweets (handle: @Pontifex). A check of his Twitter page showed that the much-loved Pope has 9.17 million followers as of April 24.

During this year’s conference, the Diocese of Brooklyn will honor Rev. Thomas Rosica, C.S.B. with the St. Francis DeSales Distinguished Communicator Award. Rosica, who will serve as keynote speaker, is the CEO of Salt + Light Catholic Media Foundation (Canada’s first national Catholic Television Network) and the English language attaché of the Holy See Press Office.  

Pope Benedict XVI appointed Rosica to the Pontifical Council for Social Communications in 2009. Since the Papal Transition in 2013, Rosica has worked closely with Rev. Federico Lombardi, SJ, and has related on a daily basis to several hundred English language journalists and television and radio personnel around the world.

During this time, he also served as media attaché at four Synods of Bishops at the Vatican in 2008, 2012, 2014 and 2015. At Salt + Light, he has been executive producer of more than 50 documentaries and hundreds of television programs for the network during the past 13 years.

“It is my pleasure to honor Father Tom Rosica with our St. Francis DeSales Distinguished Communicator Award for his contribution to Catholic media, a fundamental tool of modern evangelization,” said the Most Rev. Nicholas DiMarzio, bishop of Brooklyn, who will present the award. “It is my hope that through his wise and insightful keynote speech, our attendees will feel inspired to practice Mercy through the gift of communication.”

The conference program includes breakout sessions featuring John Harper, host of “Morning Air Show” on Relevant Radio; Michael O’Loughlin, journalist and author of “The Tweetable Pope;” and Cynthia Dermody, international deputy editor of “Aleteia for Her,” among others.

Rosica will also join a panel discussion with Doug Keck, COO of EWTN; Elizabeth Scalia, editor-in-chief of “Aleteia;” and Msgr. Kieran Harrington, chairman of DeSales Media Group and NET TV. The program will close with a special presentation by actor Danny Jacobs, voice of “King Julien” for DreamWorks Nickelodeon Madagascar Franchise.

The doors of the conference will open at 10 a.m. on May 11 for registration. The program will begin at 11 a.m. The event will conclude with a networking cocktail reception at 4 p.m. For more information on the conference program and timeline, please visit www.desalesmedia.org/WCD2016. The event is free of charge, but space is limited.

DeSales Media is the communications and technology arm of the Diocese of Brooklyn, publishing Catholic news, information, entertainment and religious programming across all media. Their properties include the weekly diocesan newspaper “The Tablet,” the monthly Hispanic newspaper “Nuestra Voz,” the cable network New Evangelization Television NET TV and the Catholic Telemedia Network.

 


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