Jesuit Communications (JesCom) continues to bring media formation to the forefront of pastoral work, as the media arm of the Philippine Jesuits led a successful Media Literacy Workshop for the Diocese of Malaybalay during its annual Clergy Updating.
Held last May 22nd at the Diocesan Pastoral Center, Impalambong, the full-day workshop brought together 90 priests, including the Most Reverend Noel Pedregosa, DD, for a timely reflection on the Church’s evolving pastoral mission in the digital age.
JesCom Executive Director Fr. Emmanuel “Nono” Alfonso, SJ, and Multimedia Training Manager Mr. Paolo Antonio Gonzalez led the sessions, offering insights on responsible media engagement and the ethics of digital communication.
Fr. Nono opened with foundational concepts of media literacy, highlighting how “media are constructions” shaped by intent, ideology, and commercial interests. With the media’s role in constructing our worldviews, this emphasized the need for priests to discern meaning and intention behind media narratives. By educating themselves as informed consumers, the clergy can better guide their communities in navigating today’s media landscape.
Mr. Gonzalez followed with a deep dive into the ethical use of social media and the emerging challenges of artificial intelligence, particularly the growing threat of deepfakes and digital misinformation. He stressed that while social media presents powerful tools for evangelization, they also require discernment and responsibility.
Throughout the day, the clergy were invited to reflect on key themes that included:
- The goal of media literacy and ethics in the Church’s mission;
- Media implications for faith, formation, and truth-telling;
- Combating fake news and propaganda within faith communities.
In a show of unity and proactive engagement, the priests—alongside Bishop Pedregosa—collaboratively developed a set of social media protocols for the diocese, aimed at promoting integrity, transparency, and mission-centered communication.
At the end of the day, the participants were reminded that being present in media does not require becoming a “content creator.” Rather, the Church calls on its clergy to be advocates of truth, educators in faith, and defenders of ethical media for the formation of families, parishes, and communities.
Once again, JesCom is deeply honored to serve the Church in this mission of media evangelization and education, as it remains committed to empowering the clergy across the provinces to respond to today’s media challenges with wisdom, compassion, and courage.
With the conclusion of another fruitful workshop, JesCom proudly marks another step forward in strengthening the Church’s voice in the digital age—grounded in faith, guided by ethics, and inspired by mission.
AMDG
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