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By Paul Samasumo
August 19 2022
Tuesday, the second day of the SIGNIS World Congress taking place in Seoul, South Korea, was the official opening day of the meeting. The Prefect of the Dicastery for Communication, Dr Paolo Ruffini read the Holy Father’s goodwill message at the beginning of the event.
After reading Pope Francis’ goodwill message, Dr Ruffini gave a keynote address on the day’s central theme: “Hyperconnected, yet alone.”
Dr Ruffini observed that notwithstanding great strides in digital technologies, human beings still experience profoundly the paradox of our time, which is that of division: Connected and yet so alone.
Quoting Pope Francis, Dr Ruffini encouraged Catholic media practitioners to go beyond just being connected and discover actual communication as encounter and dialogue. He further encouraged SIGNIS members and all Catholic communicators to go against the trends of the world, to go against the logic of domination because, after all, “a kite can only fly when it goes against the wind.”
Other speakers, such as SIGNIS World President, Mrs Helen Osman, spoke about the need for Catholic communicators to embrace synodality and the synodal approach in their line of work. Dr Nataša Govekar, director of the Department of Pastoral Theology in the Vatican’s Dicastery for Communication, said the message in the Gospel is never old. The Gospel continues to provide critical and relevant approaches for modern-day challenges. She called on Catholic media to help shift internet and digital discourse from dismay to hope.
As expected for South Korea, the Signis Congress has been produced to near high-tech perfection.
Various Korean Catholic Bishops and top Korean Government officials are gracing the conference. Some K-pop producers, K-drama actors, and directors are also scheduled to address the participants. – Vatican News
