Press Release by Office of Social Communication (OSC), Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conference (FABC)
MANILA (Jan 06,2021) The Veritas Asia Institute of Social Communication (VAISCOM) established by the FABC Office of Social Communication (OSC) for the formation of pastoral personnel in Asia has launched three online courses.
Chairman, FABC OSC, Bishop Roberto Mallari, inaugurated a website (www.vaiscom.org) and launched the online course via zoom conference, January 6. He said, “our God is a communicating God, and communication is central to the mission of the Church.” The new institute and the online program, he said, would instill dynamism among pastoral leaders in Asia and help them acquire knowledge and skills needed for effective ministry.
Executive Secretary of the FABC OSC Fr George Plathottam sdb, said Vaiscom is committed to form personnel for various communication ministries of the church in Asia by means of online, in-campus and in loco programs. It will offer training support, support research and follow up programs. The currant online mode of learning, though planned long before the outbreak of Covid 19, has become a timely and common platform of learning, he said.
In the online format, Vaiscom plans to offer three programs- Basic, Advanced and Diploma, and students would be able to access video lessons, study notes and other resource materials. The program is in response to the need to equip church leaders meet the challenges presented by the new media and diverse pastoral contexts in Asia.
FABC Assistant Secretary General Fr William LaRousse, quoting Pope Paul VI said, the mission of the church in Asia is for all peoples. He called the new program timely and hugely beneficial to the Church in Asia at a time when FABC is celebrating its golden jubilee as communication presents us new opportunities. Fr Victor F Sadaya, General Manager, RVA, Fr John Mishen, Director designate of Vaiscom, and Fr Bernard Dashi Tang, Program Director, RVA, who spoke during the opening function, hailed the establishment of the institute and the launching of the program.
The course titled “Communication for Pastoral Leadership” (CPL) is set to begin from July 2021, Vaiscom has started admissions to the program. The course has lot of flexibility and is offered to individuals as well as institutions like seminaries at an affordable fee. Applicants can register for one course or for all the three and complete the program on their own pace. The course is prepared by a team of Salesians under the leadership of Fr Plathottam with technical support from Delhi-based Manna Media Hub and Manila-based Asia Pacific Consortium of Educational Research and Radio Veritas Asia (RVA).
