VATICAN - "Being Church is the basis of every collection of funds for missions": the reflection of the Pontifical Mission Societies

Friday, 9 November 2018 charity   pontifical mission societies   mission   missionary animation   evangelization   extraordinary missionary month  

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Rome (Agenzia Fides) - "The basis of fundraising comes from the Gospel itself: when one thinks of donations, the offerings to be devolved to the missions of the Church, we must go back to the roots to find the motivation of the donation": this is what Katja Heidemanns said, at the Head of the Communications Department of "Missio Aachen", in Germany, speaking at the special Conference, under way at the International Center for Missionary Animation (CIAM) from 7 to 9 November, on the theme "Animation & Fundraising in the Digital World". The meeting, organized by the Pontifical Mission Societies, brings together about fifty participants from all over the world.
In the first session in the assembly Katja Heidemanns presented the experience of the first steps taken in the digital world by "Missio Aachen", in a path of growth in the use of social media and highlighting how the website and the sending of a newsletter have contributed to the growth of "followers" and donors. Social media, as Heidemanns said, can be said "concern missionary animation" in order to involve those who can only follow missionary realities from afar.
The second conference, "Sharing the Good News in a digital world: mission and culture", was proposed by Mgr. Paul Tighe, secretary of the Pontifical Council for Culture. Bishop Tighe, for many years Secretary of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, explained what the digital world means for the Church today, considering that "the language of almost all members of religious institutes is now unknown to new generations" .
"Speaking of communication - he remarked - means talking about communion, starting with us, members of the Church, within the Catholic community. Our effort cannot be to learn a fundraising technique: to be a Church, to consider the recipient as a person, with his needs, is the basis of every proposal to raise awareness of donation", commented Mgr. Tighe. The Bishop also presided over the concelebrated Mass by the priests taking part in the meeting.
Massimo Ilardo then spoke during the meeting (on the topic "Successes and challenges of online fundraising/digital campaining") and Sr Roberta Tremarelli, who presented the idea of a "Joint digital camping" for the extraordinary Missionary Month of October 2019.
Those present will visit the Secretariat for Communications today and will conclude the conference with a group discussion, to share experiences and develop common proposals. (CE) (Agenzia Fides, 09/11/2018)


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