Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Goma (Agenzia Fides) - "May the Catholic journalists of Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, and Rwanda practice their profession inspired by the principles of the faith and may they be peacemakers, avoiding the culture of lies, violence, and division."
This is the appeal that was launched May 12 by fifteen representatives of Catholic media from the three countries which are members of the Central African Bishops' Conference (ACEAC), gathered at the Visitors' Center of Caritas in Goma, in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, for a meeting on "The Catholic Media and Electoral Policy in the ACEAC.”
At the opening Mass for the meeting, the General Secretary of ACEAC, Fr. Melchior Edward Mombili, urged the participants in the meeting in Goma to share their concerns and expectations. In his opening remarks, Fr. Mombili said the Great Lakes sub-region is faced with the onerous challenge of rebuilding the social order disturbed by the unspeakable tragedies of the past two decades. He then urged the media to report information correctly, according to the teachings of the Church, to meet the challenges of reconciliation and peace. Fr. Mombili also recalled that the work of communication in the Church is evangelization.
All three countries of the ACEAC will be holding elections in the coming months. Elections begin in Burundi on May 21 with the election of council members of 117 municipalities and the presidential elections will be held June 28. Legislative elections will be July 23-28. In Rwanda, presidential elections will be held in August and in Congo, the presidential and parliamentary elections will take place in 2011.
The Bishops of the ACEAC organized the seminar in Goma as a form of catechesis for Catholic communicators on the teachings of the Church's social doctrine, the correct use of the media, which must respect the truth and promote charity.
Among the speakers was Muhiya Henry, Secretary of the Episcopal Commission for Natural Resources of the Bishops' Conference of Congo, who analyzed the experience of the ad hoc committee for civic and electoral education promoted by the bishops during the Congolese elections in 2006. Fr. Celestin Bwanga, Director of the Radio-Television and Chairman of the Diocesan Commission for Social Communications (Amani) in the Archdiocese of Kisangani, gave a report on community radio stations. Fr. Jean-Baptiste Malenga, Secretary of the Bishops' Commission for Social Communications at the Bishops' Conference of Congo, recalled the principles of the Church's doctrine in facing the challenges of violence, credibility, and truth.
At the closing Mass, the participants made a commitment to work together as part of a network of Catholic communities and appealed to the governments of the three countries to respect the rules of democracy, including the Electoral Code and the Constitution. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 05/17/2010)
