using local media to spread the good news - fr brian lucas
DESCRIPTION
In most parishes there is a local newspaper that is circulated to households usually weekly and without charge. It is thirsting for good news to fill the space before the real estate advertisements. How can parishes use this? This workshop will explore the ways and means and possibilities for setting up a parish communications committee and telling good news to the local community. Fr Brian Lucas was appointed media spokesman for the Archdiocese of Sydney in 1985. He is currently the General Secretary of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference and regularly deals with media. In 2002 he won a Churchill Fellowship and his overseas programme included research on use of local media by parishes.TRANSCRIPT
Using Local Media to Spread the Good News
Brian Lucas 22 August 2014
The Parish – What it is Where all the faithful can be gathered
together for the Sunday celebration of the Eucharist (CCC para 2179 )
A definite community of the Christian faithful (can 515 § 1)
The parish as a network of relationships rather than simply an administrative unit or place for service delivery.
PARISH - Place or People? After Vatican II the canonical
definition of the parish did not limit the parish to a territorial reality. There was a clear shift from territory to people as the central reality - a return to a biblical/theological tradition of long-standing - ‘the people of God’
The Parish – What it does ‘The buildings, the staffs, the leaders, the
liturgies, programs and ministries all exist for a purpose outside themselves. This purpose has two dimensions. One is the spiritual growth of the membership. The other is the needs of the people in the larger community, those beyond the parishioners.’
[Forster, Patricia M. OSF, and Thomas Sweetser SJ, Transforming the Parish, Sheed & Ward, Franklin, Wisconsin, 1993 p 29].
The Parish – What it does Communication is at the heart of all
parish activity Liturgy Preaching Teaching Catechesis Pastoral Care Sacramental preparation
Communication by the Parish
Outreach Catholic Action in the 1920s Catholic Evidence Guild
• Catholic Enquiry Centre Legion of Mary Theresian Society
• Confraternity of Christian Doctrine St Vincent de Paul Society What else???
Other means of outreach
Catholic School Parents’ groups Sporting activities
Sacramental Programmes RCIA Family Groups Neighbourhood cells What else???
The ‘market’ Highly committed Sunday attenders Christmas/Easter attenders Ignorant/nominal Catholics Non-Catholic school parents Isolated Catholics (lonely) Disaffected Catholics (unhappy) Alienated Catholics (angry) Searchers Who else???
A process for implementing better communication
Awareness Raise awareness of communication issues Ask the question – who knows what we
do? Do an audit of the parish communications Sensitise the parish council/finance
committee Set up a parish communication committee
What a Communications Committee can do….. Organise the production of the parish
bulletin, and a periodical parish magazine Assess and improve parish ‘signage’ and
public notice boards Parish welcome team Parish DVD, video and audio tape library Promote diocesan newspaper/magazines Liaise with local newspapers
Understanding Local Media Understand how mass media is
organised What is news? What is local media? For local media you need local stories Pictures Personal connections Perseverance
What is News?
From words to action……
What is happening in your parish?
Structure A press release in advance A report of what has happened Annual diary highlighting key events Plan ahead for significant openings,
anniversaries, celebrations List of key contact people Who writes words? Who takes pics?
Parish Celebration – patronal feast School initiatives and events Key dates for public information, eg
enrolments, sacramental programme, enquiry nights for RCIA
Personalities Human interest Parish organisations eg SVdeP, CWL What else???
Possible stories?????
THE END