Media Evangelization Workshop Empowers BEC and Proclamation Commissions At Sandesha Foundation

June 9, 2025

Mangaluru, June 7, 2025 — In a vibrant response to the call for synodality, digital discernment, and grassroots proclamation, the Media Evangelisation Workshop: Empowering BEC and Proclamation Commissions was inaugurated today at the Sandesha Foundation for Culture and Education, Mangaluru.

Organised by the Regional Proclamation and BEC Commissions of KRCBC in collaboration with Sandesha, the two-day workshop (June 7–8) brought together 45 committed participants—clergy, religious, and laity—from various dioceses across Karnataka. The event is envisioned as a training ground for digital missionaries, offering hands-on experience in media creation and communication, alongside theological reflection on faith and technology.

In his welcome address, Fr Sudeep Paul MSFS, Director of Sandesha and chief architect of the initiative, emphasized the deeper purpose behind the gathering.

“Sandesha is not merely a venue—it is a living mission of the Church in Karnataka. It is where faith and art meet, where culture and catechesis merge, and where we communicate Christ through the beauty of media, music, theatre, and storytelling,”
he said. Highlighting Sandesha’s legacy of over three decades in cultural evangelisation, he added,
“In recent years, we’ve also become a hub for digital discipleship, equipping lay leaders, teachers, and clergy to evangelise using modern tools and technologies.”

Fr Sudeep extended a warm welcome to the Chief Guest, Very Rev. Msgr Maxim Lawrence Noronha, Vicar General of the Diocese of Mangalore, and Rev. Fr Maxim Dias, Regional Secretary for the BEC and Proclamation Commissions. Their presence and vision were noted as key inspirations for the scope and spirit of the workshop.

Speaking at the inaugural, Msgr Noronha called upon the Church to embrace digital communication as a space for communion, not confusion.

“This workshop is not just about learning the latest digital tools—it is fundamentally about mission,”
he said.
“We are here not to master technology for its own sake, but to build vibrant ecclesial communities rooted in the Word of God, connected through communion, and committed to service.”
Quoting 1 Peter 3:15, he encouraged participants to share the hope in their hearts “with gentleness,” especially in today’s divided media landscape.

Fr Maxim Dias, in his address, affirmed the growing need for the Church to be fearless in entering the digital realm.

“The Church today is moving from pews and benches to pixels,”
he remarked.
“From bytes to gigabytes, from screens to souls, our mission remains unchanged: to make Christ known.”
He stressed that this workshop goes beyond media training—its essence lies in fostering witness, authenticity, and evangelisation.
“Let us return to our communities not just with techniques, but with the fire of witness—ready to proclaim the Good News in new ways,”
he exhorted.

In his orientation session, Fr Sudeep delved deeper into the theological and pastoral vision of the workshop.

“This is not just another seminar—it’s part of a broader ecclesial journey toward media literacy, synodality, and digital discernment. We are not here to go viral—we are here to become credible, compassionate, and communion-building digital missionaries,”
he said.

Inspired by Pope Francis’ 2024 theme on “AI and the Wisdom of the Heart,” the workshop integrates technical training with ethical reflection, grounded in the CCBI Pastoral Plan, which prioritises the empowerment of BECs and local commissions for active Gospel proclamation.

Learning by Doing: A Laboratory of Evangelisation

Participants engage in hands-on sessions to:

Craft impactful writing for features, testimonies, and interviews using AI support.
Plan and script content for platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and X (formerly Twitter).
Create posters, podcasts, and short videos using Canva, CapCut, VN Editor, and DALL•E.
Explore innovative tools like ChatGPT and voice AI for ideation and storytelling.
Reflect on digital ethics and spirituality, focusing on authenticity over virality.

The sessions are interactive, collaborative, and team-based, with participants working in groups to produce and present media content for review and feedback.

The Resource Persons guiding the workshop are: