Media at the Service

of Authentic Peace

PCCNET Recollection Mission Conference

Activity 10
March 14-15, 2003
MaryHill Retreat House
 Attendance

Bato, Frances Marie A. Special Projects Assistant UCAN

Borja, Henry A. Electronic Media Director CFA
Deocareza, Franco L. Columnist (Catholic Writer) People’s Taliba
Hofer, Marlon C. Lead Servant, Pastoral Youth Carmel Light
Jardeleza, Jasmin M. Layout Artist The ICON
Lumbag, Druley Steigher G. Regent-Talent Radio Veritas Asia
Viehland, Norma Jean Philippine News Editor UCAN
Villena, Maria Fatima Media Program Coordinator TBC – Media
Alexis Representative (Contributor) Today

PROGRAMME

March 14, 2003 (Friday)

8:00 Registration Druley Steigher G. Lumbag

Radio Veritas Asia

9:00-9:10 Welcome & Intro Norma Jean Viehland

PCCNet Coordinator

9:10-10:30 Session 1 Rev. Father David Glenday

Editor World Mission Magazine

10:30-10:45 Snacks

10:45-12:00 Session 2

12:00-2:00 Lunch & Siesta

2:00-3:30 Session 3

3:30-3:45 Snacks

3:45-5:00 Session 4

5:00 Mass Rev. Fr. David Glenday

Editor World Mission Magazine

6:30 Supper

7:30-8:00 Teambuilding Jofti A. Villena

Titus Brandsma Media
 8:00-9:00 Mission Conference Ton Danenberg
Session 1 Consultant, Titus Brandsma Media

March 15, 2003 (Saturday)

7:00-8:00 Breakfast

8:00-8:30 Morning Prayer Bro. Tagoy Jakosalem, OAR

Order of Augustinian Recollects

8:30-10:30 Session 2
The call

Group Activity/Workshop

10:30-10:45 Snacks

10:45-12:00 Session 3
Commitment

12:00-12:15 Synthesis Ton Danenberg

Evaluation Norma Jean Viehland

PCCNet Coordinator

12:15 Lunch

1:00 Departure

FIRST DAY

Introduction NJ Viehland

Key points in her introduction were:

Power of Media

Stop and discernment

Encounter with our Creator who is the true source of power

Encounter each other

What is it that inspires us? How can we work together or share one another’s
idea?
 Session 1 Fr. David Glenday

Reflection from the Gospel of John

(Prologue)

1. Reflection 1: Hear the agenda of the Lord

2. Reflection 2: Get in touch with something that is important
Get in touch with our best desires which can be directed
Get in touch with my spring
Foundation that may be building my life with how things have
gone for me
Conviction: apart from “Me” I can do nothing
Allow our defenses to go lower so that we may hear what God is
telling us in this stories, where is he?
Are there stories we do not publish even to ourselves?

CARDINAL CARLO MARTINI – believe that at the bottom of everything, there

is good news

If we don’t believe, it creates disappointments

How they have challenge your faith

How is media causing you to grow in faith

3. “Word was made flesh”

When I touch a life of human being I connect with God, I unite with God

How is God coming to me?

How I experience God in coming into that flesh I am experiencing the
presence of God

I came here to have new eyes to discover him there

Good Fruits

1. Respect for experience

Holy ground

Motivation – come from the discoveries of my God

Negative – habitually agressivity – roots to the fact that I am angry

Negatively critical attitude – necessity of knowing where the
compulsion cause from

Escapism – I look for my contentment in which it allows me from
It allows my faith to grow
Session 2

What does it mean to be a vocation as a communicator?

Celebrate your vocation

It is a privilege

He is entrusting in you the grace of communicating the good news

How that is true, family, professional, communicator to be drawn to God

WOW factor

Reasons to be amazed that could happen such

Dynamics of communication
1. a map to read my life is called

Session 3

Vocation – is an event that happen

2. relationship
3. how am I being called now?

Vocation implies surprise
1. how do I relate unexpectedly?
2. how is he achieving his plan is this
3. deep motivation to bring, to people things they wouldn’t want to know.

Growth dimension
1. how am I being led to grow at end other
2. there I was called
3. challenging, am I growing vocation implies

Change – powerful change is to me

When my heart changes, he would also change

Person who creates community

- SIGN we are someone with Jesus
- People connects with people
- Sign of the presence of the Spirit of Jesus
- Much more concern with our ministry on level
- Practical truths (generosity – lack of calculation when I impose
calculation)
- What is in there for me?
- What is your principle and who is you God “Me”
- Giving without counting the cost

Am I a Christian?

1. I hope I am a Christian - its never my possession and always his grace.

Mission Conference

First Activity

Session 2

Gallery Viewing, sharing of what we discussed in the group and then from this
sharing, we will make some synthesis.

Ton D.

In the small groups, we share our drawings, these are not works of art, these are not
also illustrations of ideas because we don’t need drawings to illustrate our ideas, we
made drawings because our drawings say more than our explanation. So therefore,
what we are going to do is you show your drawing each one of you and when you
show your drawing, you don’t say anything and the others look at it and they just tell
what they see. So it is more look at what you see and then you ask questions. So that
explanations comes more in response to what the others see and not as your
explanation. Also important is you listen to one another. We are not forming our
opinions, we are not discussing, we are just listening, we ask clarifications. After
each one has shared in the small group his own drawing then we come to a kind of
synthesis in our group. What are the things that are common, what are the
differences has striking importance and you put that on the manila paper and write it
down and that will be what we are going to share.

Three Groups:

1. Francis, Franco, Digoy

2. Marlon, NJ, Jasmin
3. Henry, Steigher, Jofti

First Report: Second Group (c/o Marlon)

Mission of Media

Description of Illustration: Patch together in one piece of a diluge of

information

Newspaper, radio

Put heart into media world survive, anchor, focus, direction kasi basically ang
media, siyempre, we strive to achieve excellence pero this will be nothing if
 you don’t put heart into what we are doing because madidismaya ka kahit
gaano ka kagaling. Kung wala namang heart ‘yung ginagawa mo hindi’t hindi
lalabas ‘yung kagandahan ng ginagawa mo.

Spread message of love. It follows kasi when there’s heart then there’s love,
there’s hope, there’s faith. So, for media to be a catalyst for change to move
people, it should espouse love, hope and faith.

Link various sectors of society through dialogues especially ‘yung mga poor.
We can only gather as much information if we link ourselves to the people that
we serve who’s needs we cater, who’s interest we first and foremost service.
Of course as Christian media people, ang pinaka-una nating i-seserve ‘yung
interest ni Lord and then it follows ‘yung kasunod sa fellowman natin and
then when we look at our fellowmen the only way that we can link them is we
can have link with them through dialogue.

‘Yung sa mga difficulties dahil sa dami ng sources like internet ‘yung mga TV,
radio, newspaper mahirap siyang pagtagpi-tagpiin o pag-isaisahin. Nakaka-
disorient. So that’s in search for truth. Siyempre, ‘yun naman talaga ang gusto
nating ibigay sa publiko.

Media should .... invisible sound waves .... kasi minsan unconsciously hindi
natin alam na-iinfluence na pala tayo ng... ‘yung impluwensiya sa atin hindi
natin alam na, kasi di ba minsan, pag-politiko at media ka, tapos meron kang
kinikilingan, lumalabas ‘yung biases mo. Hindi mo minsan alam na na-
influence ka na. So we should strike a balance.

Conflicting values; materialism

To give shape, form and mold together. Half whole or half empty kasi minsan
kapag pinepresent natin ang isang bagay depende na rin ‘yung isang tao
kung ano ang perception nila. If they would like to look at it in a positive way
pwedeng its half full kapag if they want to be pessimistic about it so basta
importante kapag alam natin kung ano ‘yung totoo we present it the best way
we can. ‘Yun ‘yung role natin .

Possibilities, team work, heart

Sources of information: books

Especially heart mayroong language na only the eye of faith can understand
but if we put heart in everything we do, the goodness ‘dun lumalabas ‘yung
kagandahan, books while we form professionals kasi hindi naman pwedeng
bara-bara, utusan lang magsulat ng isang paragraph, journalist ka na.
Siyempre kailangan pinag-aralan mo ‘yun at talagang ginagawa mo ‘yung
 trabaho mo para mag-excel ka naman sa craft mo. Update your knowledge
through various sources. Pwede ring formal school, pwede ring through self-
study tapos immersions which is really very important because hindi naman
pwedeng salita tayo about the poor pero ‘di pa nga tayo nakapunta sa slum
area, nakatulog man lang sa kubo ng isang mahirap or hindi man lang tayo I
mean you know, we really have to immerse, I think in order for us to be
effective and we have the heart for the people especially kung ang sine-serve
natin ang poor kailangan may immersion talaga, ayon kasama natin sila at
kaisa natin sila.

Formation. Bago tayo magiging evangelizers and advocates of love, of peace,

of all these virtues, we can never get what we do not have. So I think kailangan
din nating magkaroon ng formation para we can be effective evangelizers
because we can never be effective for evangelization if we ourselves are not
evangelized. Importante ‘yun tapos ‘yung vocation just treated as source of
our income and livelihood. But you know its a calling from the Lord to serve
him and we can use it as our important apostolate and expects surprises from
him as what Fr. David said yesterday and its a continuous process there is so
much room for growth in our journey, doon sa ating trabaho.

(NJ) concept of heart, in the formation, vocation Marlon was saying also that
how some difficulty to make our writing touch people’s heart and become
more electrifying, like electricity, be more passionate not only cerebral but
how can we communicate in a way that moves people.

Second Report: First Group (c/o Franco)

Today’s media were viewed here as a piece of informational arm with a wide
scope, influential to people but corrupted with envelopmental journalism
meaning most media writers today are fake with either material guise
monetary consideration.

Media is personal. It can affect you positively or negatively. It depends on
what you are telling about, if you’re saying the truth or telling lies.

Most media writers today tend to go towards disinformation because of

certain monetary consideration there being paid.

Sometimes news are sensationalized to gain commercial leverage for TV,

radio and print (newspapers).

We must, we have the luck of encouraging media practitioners, we hope to

encourage them to join the PCCNet in order to avoid personal selfishness, in
 order to avoid personal corruption and other inaccuracies within the practice
of media.

Thru PCCNet, we can make personal stand from opposition of resistance. Most
top editorial officials there, most newspapers both tabloid and broadsheets
are usually oppose to inviting religious writers. In fact I have experienced, I
am experiencing this now. They want to kick me out of the People’s Taliba but
they cannot tell it to me directly. They use other people to send the message
to me. Everything I do as a religious writer is nonsense and everything that I
say about the Bible, they have already read it and they knew it already as if
they have memorize the entire Bible. So it is very discouraging that they want
to trample on the various idea of a religious writer. So its a saddening fact, we
have to fight against this bad influence. I responded in my common.... I am
very sorry if I pierced your heart into which I am explaining, touch your pride
because of your own selfishness and other logical phrases.

But we have great hopes in a ... and better possibilities for the media. We
must be more influential in encouraging to our listeners and viewers by
saying the TRUTH because if we tell half lies or half-truths people will be
tending to become confuse. They do not know which is which, which are lies.
So we must be better well express TRUTH in all our writing whether it be on
TV, radio and newspapers. We must have more projects to building a better
relationship and networks with so many people or so many groups of people.
Not only in Metro Manila but in the possibility as a chance, the whole nation
regardless of whatever facets of society they belong to, we must reach to them
and explain to them fully, we must vigorously, fully work out to influence
them. Building better relationship, and networks with this people.

We must easily reach out/communicate to being a religious writer because if

we use high strung phrases too difficult for them to understand. Tendency is to
they might not be able to absorb what we are saying.

Deliver them in so simple and understandable language or vernacular

otherwise. (Hindi ko maintindihan ‘to, malalim. Parang disoriented sila). They
tend to shy away from what they are seeing and hearing.

Difficulties: religious writers are discouraged in some newspapers. Gaya ng

sabi ko they create intrigues, they say bad words against the religious writers.
Everything about God is taboo to them because of their personal secret lives.

Busy people who have no time for enrichment or empowering their group for
personal relationship to touch other people’s lives. It can be in the ... not have
the time. Actually most busy people have the time. They used their time to
satisfy their own personal cravings, their lustful desires, their foolishness. Mga
extra curricular activities kung saan-saan. They have the time to enrich their
 personal lives with good values. People can possibly influence them, we can
have ask them to aid us in our evangelization. Talagang aim natin is
evangelization to media. If they can help so much the better because these
busy people most of them have money, have connections, have influence.
They can support us. Even if it is a difficulty that is a possibility that we can
utilize them to support us. If not physically, perhaps they can support us
financially.

We have our obligation in our religious community. So we cannot reach out

fully to those in need. This obligation must not confine us to merely be
attentive to our religious community. It is always an escape for anybody,
“busy ako sa religious community ko.” No it cannot be. We have some time to
offer perhaps one day or a half day to reach out fully to those in need. Who
are those in need? Those who are in need? Those who are in need, those
people who are quite ignorant about the facts of our religion... the Catholic
faith. There are so many Christians around us who really do not understand
what the Lord Jesus Christ is saying about. All they understand is that they go
to mass then after going to mass they go home. Whatever they heard from the
priest they forgot after coming out of the Church. So, ang aming interpretation
na ito. This one....is reaching out to various sectors of society, various types of
people, within the community influenced by the Church. We have to face the
problems of war, poverty, activism and factionalism, oppression of the rich to
the poor using the various groups of media – radio, TV and print media under
the influence of the cross.

SYMBOLISM: People with different reactions and emotions. Some may be

passive, others may be astonished, “hindi nila maintindihan kung magugulat
sila sa mga sinasabi at tinuturo sa kanila.” The others are oppositions. They do
not believe with what we are saying, the others are receptive and they
welcome it to their hearts.

U is representative of UCAN. Everything, every project has started with small

ideas which grows bigger and form project that goes far, far and for around
until it is above or achieved. That is the crowning glory. Achievement because
if you set an idea without really doing anything to accomplish it, your
accomplishment is zero, nothing. The organization is nothing. So it reaches out
all sides of society and all kinds of people.

Here, I have side my own, in utilizing the PCCNet.

With the letter T of PCCNet form into a cross colored with blood of the Lord
Jesus Christ and supported by people around him and being disseminated
and scattered all over the country.

I use blue for peace and red for the symbolism of our Lord Jesus Christ. With
one eye focused on the cross. The other on the community. In his mind, he is
thinking of good ways and means to be of helped to all the people in his
community among him and his mouth is half opened because he is expressing
things the people do not understand or realized. He is saying good things
about his moral interpretations based on the Bible, Holy Scriptures. So
evangelizing the whole community. I use green to the light and the blood of
Jesus Christ.

Third Report: Third Group (c/o Jofti)

PICTURE Description: Different signs/arrows (facts, gossip wealth, etc.)

connected to the satellite which symbolizes media and communication and
then these arrows lead to different roads and this, from the above, we have a
symbolism of a utopian city. In our everyday lives, we are presented with
choices. This choices, like for example, if you are a common
indicator/journalist whatever it is that you label yourself with, you’re
presented with facts, fame, gossip, wealth, you don’t know sometimes, you
don’t even know where you are going to or what words will you follow
because everyone of these choices lead you to a road which might have
consequences. If you follow this road, there are consequences. You as a
person is confused on what roads would you choose. That’s a struggle in our
everyday. Everyday you have to decide. “Papasok ba tayo sa opisina o hindi,
ano ang gagawin natin. ‘Yung mga ganoong choices ba?

Media can go either ways. It can lead to this confusion and it can lead to this
confusion and it can be to this utopia, which expresses love, peace and unity.

Figure 2 symbolizes three things: one, this is a community. Second, that this
is the sun, kung mapapansin n’yo, the roads there, is something like a sun,
kulang lang sa rays. Third, as brain of a journalist and then, this community is
being led to, thru the use of media or the community whatever it is, is leading
to islands. As we all know, islands are isolation, kung nasa island ka, you are
surrounded with the sea. So you are being isolated which is napaka, ‘yung
representation ng media here is negative. Like the community is being led by
the media to individualism, communities are being led by media to
consumerism in which all of us are created as commodity, waiting to be sold.
Even culture is being sold now. So with the present situation of globalization
and everything. Tapos nga, communication/media has led us to pride, no.1
sin ‘yun. Leading us to injustice and war, leading us to a new age
phenomenon, meaning there’s no more God and you believe only in yourself,
all about yourself that you can do by yourself and then to greed is tantamount
to accumulating wealth, every material thing that the world offers and then as
you are isolated, “so nandito ka sa gitna ng dagat, there’s nowhere to go
sometimes, parang you’re alone there or the communities being led towards
that direction and it seems there’s nowhere else to go. Tapos there are some
initiatives that has been done by the Church and by civic organization, POs
“kung mapapansin n’yo its in color gray:”

Figure 1: Boat representing

the various orgs. making
initiatives

Church/NGO/PO

Figure 2: circle symbolizes:

1 – comm’ty
2 – sun
3 – brain of journalist

Individualism Consumerism

This means a gray area. There are initiatives but where does this lead us.

The communicator itself wants to bear witness, his bearing witness to
everything that is happening around her as a communicator and then as she
bears witness to that with sun she wants to give light to this but not to the
extent na “nag-bibida siya, ako ang gagawa nito.” The communicator wants to
help this people indirectly meaning she wants to realize on their own. You
don’t impose because they, usually some development planners,
organizations going to the community telling them what to do, no you should
let the community decide for themselves and realize what they need, what
they want, empower them, people’s empowerment to overcome all of these.
‘Yung enhancement, capability, enhance their knowledge, so hindi ikaw ung
kailangang mag-impose sa kanila ba’t it is there, it is in their realization that
they will do that.

Figure 3: Collage of the New Media Culture


We have this – radio, TV, print, CDs, electronic media which presents this
particular drawing presents media culture into labels so meron tayong,
makikita natin with this medium of obscenity, violence, crime, sex, passion,
commercialism, etc. which in consequence disunites us, disinforms us,
desensitize us so in short, lahat ng ito, this is the evil of media presented
(Figure 3)

Everything that media gives us, we absorb subliminally, lahat ng mga naka-
present diyan na mga sign symbols we synthesize it into three:

Media

1. is leading is to many roads, oftentimes mislead us, there’s a hidden

agenda. “Hindi natin alam.” Behind the current media culture. Although
alam natin na masama itong prine-present nila but we can’t put into
words what is that parang there’s a phenomenon going on but we can’t,
we are into discovering that phenomenon. Why is it that so? So there’s a
hidden agenda behind all of these and media leads us to
isolation...Imbes na mag-reunite tayo, imbes na mag-solidify, we tend
to be isolated to everything else:

NOW, WHAT CAN WE AS PEOPLE

IN OUR DIFFERENT ORGANIZATION
DO ABOUT THIS NEGATIVE MEDIA CULTURE
THAT WE ARE SEEING?

One, to transcend beyond what media presents. So, “parang ito ‘yung i-
prepresent nila as a, ‘eto ‘yung pinakita na sa radio, TV. Now,
its within us as communicator, each one of us has a task or
more than an execution of duty to really analyze these
contents so, ito nga he wants to be a catalyst for change,
something that only facilitates the community, facilitation lang
ng community. The community itself will be the one to realize
that. So, ‘yun!

NEXT

Using of course what is indigenous to them. Hindi lang basta pagsinabing TV

/radio/print ‘yun lang ang medium. No! There are medium in the rural areas,
there are mediums in indigenous culture. So, meron sila they have their own
culture, how do these culture, how do their culture use this common
communication systems in order for them to develop socially. “So nasa kanila
‘yon.” Nasa kanilang realization ‘yun and we have to respect that. We have to
give respect although they are not Christian as like us, they are Muslims,
importante ‘ung dialogue, intercultural relationship among us. We have to
respect that...

Provide alternative media, exposed its evils, in one

organizations, our member said, it is giving the people an
option, so you present the Word of God. So iba-iba tayo.
We have our own perspectives, we have our own
thinking, we have our own means and desires. So it is up
to us to make our choice. So the choices that we make,
counts talaga. He can only present the Word of God but
He cannot spoonfeed it to us. We have to analyze it on our own. Thru dialogue,
we can do that.

Making the right choices in the spirit of service, community and love, so, “sa
roads na ‘yon ‘di ba maraming choices, our choices count, ‘yun ang
magbubuo n’on. So, sometimes successful communicators, this is what the
people want, so we have to follow that .... no, we have to educate people on
what is, what do you think or what they think as people that they need. So,
hindi pwedeng susundan na lang natin sila. We have also, in our own part,
social responsibility to teach them, educate them and then from that learning
from themselves they can internalize, analyze.

TON DANENBERG
 I am supposed to make a summary but I am not summarizing that I repeat all
the things that have been said. I made as summary a few remarks and maybe can
make some notes to that and eventually afterwards asking questions.

So what I would share in general....

When we talk of mission, mission of the media, some look at mission of the
media in a more ideal sense what could a media mean, what could they do. While
others look more at media, in terms, what are the media actually doing. Are really
this important that we are aware of this two approaches? When we talk about the
media as to what they are doing, we see media first of all as a catalyst of change. But
catalyst of change is what you say ambiguous. It can be change for the good, it can
be change for the worse. So let me come to the reality, the reality of what are media
doing.

Actually, my general impression is that the feeling of the group towards media
is quite negative. It is negative in the sense that media practitioners are lying, they
are playing with the consumerist attitude of people. They allowed themselves to be
paid, they give into attributes of pride and greed but the way media is doing that is
not only that makes it more complicated not only by negative
attitudes and intentions of people in media but also by the fact
that media is something invisible, media are operating beyond
the intentions of the media practitioners. If media have
approached or this negative effect that does not only in sense
of the one who is working in the media, the journalist does not
even only depend on the one who determine the policies of
media.

The media is.... I think is invisible sound waves not only true for sounds, you
may have observed the impact TV has simply the sex or advertisement or little
children. I see a little girl of five playing sex dances. She does not know what she is
doing but there is an awareness of her body which is beyond her age so media have
an invisible influence, some may explore that but it is also that we engage in
something in media and we are engaged in something we do not control and that
creates also in the reality of media a great ambiguity but negative attitudes are the
negative reality impact of media as we observed are that ambiguity it creates a
reaction in us and what I observed are, that’s the second point, a strength, a stroke
by stroke feeling of isolation. We talk about us. I think it is important to realize that
sense of isolation and ask ourselves what do we do with that and what does that
mean and I relate this to a point what has been an observation in this study of Titus
Brandsma Center – But one of the observations we made based on the interviews are
first a presumption before I call an observation that’s also here and it comes to
Church and media, it has very much to do with the salient image of the Church, the
relation with media and mention in this report are two basic images:
1. IMAGE OF CHURCH AS FORTRESS

2. IMAGE OF CHURCH AS
LEAVEN

The Church is fortress that has been the image of the Church that
has developed very much since the 19th century and the Church
started the reacting against a hostile world and therefore, the Church
became very defensive of itself and eventually also aggression
towards the outside world. I think maybe also perhaps the tendency among the
Church to promote to our...this fortress attitude. The institution of the Church is
actually doing that by creating its own media. It observed that the Church media are
in a way threat for the mainstream media but as one of the ....it is not a real threat
because the Church is not united. That the Church with all its power in media to be
really united to be a real threat. But also even its organization, they are not united in
the voice of the Church in the Philippines its very strong. Not strong in the influence
but strong as a threat. Anything society....is very allergic to the Church. So that’s the
Church as fortress.

Another image is the Church as leaven. I heard here immersion.

I would say that Spirituality of immersion that was meant for the poor
matters, poor people immersion. But we can also say immersion in
the world of media. I would also relate to the recollection of
yesterday because what Fr. David presented very much is
Spirituality of openness, spirituality that is not tied by dogma,
doctrines like practices. But the Spirituality that is deep from within
and it is vulnerable to the outside world because it has its strength in
itself and is not in his doctrines and in his....

Spirituality also has been said of saying the truth...the truth of facts, the truth of
beliefs. So that is as leaven. However and I mention that already and I think it is goof
for us to say we are Church people to realize that there is a very strong tension and
suspicion between media and Church. That has partly to do with power of the
Church. It has also to do with the attitude towards religiosity because what we
observe among media people if you asked them, how do you look at the religion,
how do you look at spirituality? Many will say “I am going to Church or I am not
going so often to Church” or one step further is we are not the only one doing media
work but we also have projects for the poor. So there’s also something of practice
but we did not here from any of the media people, the media practitioners
something of something of I am a Catholic and that inspires me, I am in this world
leaven of the Holy Spirit. Maybe they don’t even call or respond or so much seek
about the Holy Spirit but you can. There’s an article recently about religion and
spirituality and his article about the woman of guide. Very clear he sees lip
Christianity even if it is not made that way as leaven in society and that’s more
important that power and I think we have to learn that. But we are dealing with a
world that is suspicious not suspicious about you but suspicious of age long tradition
of religiosity and power. The suspects as colonial roots. And that the media are anti-
Church, anti-spirituality makes how many artist are saying God is guiding them in
their lives. So they are not all against.....

So we are dealing therefore with a real tension and we reflect our image of
Church because the tension can reinforce in ourselves that attitude of fortress, of
defensiveness and can also be a challenge and invitation of to be inspite of the
resistance become leaven in society. And therefore also that tell us how do we reach
out in this reality of media. Then, there are some remark which are related to the
personal I think it is so in all of us that there is confusion. And the isolation is not only
a reality in the Church and is also a problem we are facing ourselves but let us also
be fair. It is not only us Church people who are isolated, we also media people
isolated by the Church.

I think I admire always, I admire Rina David who almost solely journalist takes
a very brave stand in issues which you cannot discuss in the Church. She’s not
supported by moral theologians or priest because they are all afraid with the power
of the Church and you may not agree in everything to it but that it is a lot of fear of
open discussion and that....the Church that is being observed the Church in the
Philippines is very much afraid to discuss and we as Church people, people in
media could also realize and ask ourselves what is my position in this reality and
then requires self-analysis. Self, critical self-awareness in a group like this should be
an instrument not just to reinforce one another in our isolation and fear for the
outside world but led to critical self-analysis in a given situation but also in
discovering in ourselves our inner, hidden resistance. Our fear and difficulties and
diverge themselves our ultimate....

So these are the points which I got from your sharing...

I also, we also have a copy of a chapter/part of this book from Cardinal

Martini. These are three pastoral letters and we copy one part, from one of the
pastoral letters which speaks of, enters into a dialogue with communicator’s and the
Philosophy behind that approach to of Cardinal Martini is certainly a society and
being a Catholic society is critical but not defensive.

If you have some questions maybe we can still...

FRANCO
(People’s Taliba)
 Mr. Danenberg, what is your view regarding the ever continuing conditions of
Christians of not understanding the teachings of Christ and the Church, who’s fault is
it? Is it the Church people’s fault or is it themselves who are at fault by not reading
the Bible or any religious...

TON DANENBERG

It is rather a complex problem. I am a theologian, I am not sure but I

understand the teachings of Christ. If you take the teachings of Christ in terms of
practices of doctrines then you are...you may know much more than the average...

NJ

I want to share also maybe its related, maybe its not. In this sharing this
morning then with what the Brandsma’s study says, my reflection is that part of this
fortress also, the aggression of the Church then something that Franco’s sharing
about his problem. He said some experts want to kick out religious writers but I
don’t know if this is true with Franco but I just know that I have felt that in many
religious writers or not even religious writers maybe some writers who are religious
like priest, bishops, there are some of them who can be very preachy and that kind
of “preachy” method or stance open us up to that then really we would put the
general readership who we want to influence, we might turn them off or put them off,
put them on the defensive but then maybe there is a new way that us, we in UCAN,
we also keep on questioning how, maybe its the method, not really on our...maybe
the way we sound, tagalog, “yung dating, ba.” Baka ‘yung dating ng ating article,
could it be that way? The fortress not only defensive of the Church but very
aggressive and in layman’s term. One way I can see if its that when some people
actually feedback to us na its so preach, di ba! ‘Yun yung isa, that’s one practical
insight with that survey that is real to us. I’m talking about UCAN cause we are a
Church-news agency. That’s one thing we have to deal with all the time how not to
be preachy. Therefore, how to reach better instead of antagonizing, how to be more
effective in influencing or at least touching those we aim to touch. That’s all I want to
say.

ALEXIS
(c/o Today)

The documented survey funded by an advertising agency about the attitudes

of young people. There is just one aspect of the survey, the religious aspect and its
very disheartening that 7 out 10 of the young people, college students have this kind
of attitude – they no longer believe that there is an after life, they don’t go to Church.
They don’t believe in Christ and I think the Church is partly to blame for this kind of
attitude. Even Cardinal Sin admitted during the height of Edsa
People Power 3 that the Church has lost its touch on the poor,
on the majority of the masses its because, it has become a
victim of its own power, of its own feeling of superiority over
people. The masses being intimidated when they go to
Church because the priests have become so politicized that
they have their own responsibility that neglect the mass. No longer feel
secure or they can no longer make distinctions between priest that they can run for
spiritual needs and case who are like rallying inside the Church, mouthing those
political words or ideals. I think the Church has become, has isolated itself from the
masses.

FRANCO D.
(People’s Taliba)

Some people their comments about Cardinal Sin, the bishops supposed to be,
favoring the famous and forgetting all about the poor, the disoriented ones, now
most of their comments are like this:

Cardinal Sin, bourgeois, pang-mayaman lang ‘yan. Yang mayayaman, di

naman nagbibigay ng trabaho. Hindi na nga nakapagbigay, tinatanggal pa
kami. ‘Yun ang most often comment sa aming mga neighborhood. So which is
better for us, to have nothing to eat or to make robbery, commit robbery... I
told them that’s wrong...God is not helping us. We do not want God with us,
others would say. We can always forget about God because he forgets about
us. So, we don’t even go to mass and hear all these priests lying in the pulpit.
Saying things about God, about the Church not doing anything to alleviate our
poverty. That’s what I’m worried about. The growing disorientation of the
poor. The orientation of the Church and the rich and powerful.

AGUSTINIAN RECOLLECT

Reaction to the survey mentioned by Alexis:

I think there was a truth to that survey...from my own personal experience. I

think there are also a good number of young people now who are interested
in the Church and I guess as we know from...there are some agencies who are
using that ones but we should not. That’s not practical itself but then there is a
 truth and within the Church, its true the Cardinal accepted their own mistake.
They become in a loss with the compassion for others’ needs but then from
inside the Church, I think the religious has done/have done, their own part,
we can see it from the perspective of their works, done by the Jesuits and
Redemptorist, the Carmelites and other congregations. We are at the forefront
in voicing out the needs of the poor and now...the Archdiocese, we really
have played the mission as a Church for the poor because the house priest is
so busy with house blessings, cultural activities and everything but then I
think the media has overlooked the works done by the religious who from the
very start and until now are doing something. “Hindi lang masyado nakikita,
hindi masyadong na-fofocus like what the AMRSP has done and other
organizations

TON DANENBERG

Put this remark also in proper context. I mean, we are not saying that in the
past, it is okay now we are,...I think, the people themselves are changing. The
situations are changing. For example, the tremendous increase of squatter areas in
Manila because of globalization. That creates problems in families which were not
existing in the rural areas before. Now, did the Church change together with all
these changes? Did the Church, while these things are changing, respond to the new
situation? ... They are not idolizing the past, now we are all wrong. In the past,...that
what we are doing today are fruit of the past but the question is I think again going
back to the recollection yesterday, happy day is something new for me, is this new
situation also new for the Church? and .....

JOFTI VILLENA

I would just like to add in relation to what he said....It is also important for us to
realize that we cannot reach out to these people like we are saying, “The Church of
the Poor” we cannot reach out to these people until our own integral system are not
in accordance with what we are doing outside. Like we know for the very fact...but
there is a large faction inside religious congregation, inside the Church, parang its a
system na that is not at all changed, I mean ‘yung radical change is nowhere, we are
doing this for the poor, like we attend this rally, we attend these forums and
everything but within ourselves mostly ‘yung mga Church people as mayroon
tayong mga sinusunod alam na nating hindi tama ‘yung nandoon sa loob pero
sinusunod pa rin natin, I mean the system is there, so I guess before we can reach
out to other people, we have first to look within us as congregations. We know that
there is something that is not good pero we tend to be blinded.
TON DANENBERG

Mission Statements

Make your own mission statements looking at your own positions in, your own
organization that you have now. Your own organization and your mission statement
says, “I commit myself with like-minded media people such as people here...

What am I committed to? To be my own position, to be my own organization

and together, as like-minded people and then you come in as PCCNet, and take up
from your personal mission statements and develop some more.

MISSION STATEMENTS:

Commonality

NJ Viehland

Commitment to bridge, to reach out, to touch people’s lives, to dialogue, to

respect that kind of a commitment....to commit, to become an instrument,
bridging the gap, ideas and experience among other people.

Marlon H.
(c/o Carmel Light)

Most if not all, is advocating the virtue of telling the truth, sabi nga, the truth
will all set us free.” So I think telling the truth is one commonality in most of
the commitments.

Henry Borja
(c/o CFA)

Advocacy, dialogue, communication as a common denominator.

AGUSTINIAN

Serve, in the mission of the Church

Steigher Lumbag
(c/o Radio Veritas)

I could also see that the commitments are others-focused. It is real that we are
also doing the action, we are also at the same time thinking about the others.
Our actions would not be solved in our benefit but for the benefit of others.

NJ

There is some reference to positive media planning and encouraging, we

want to be more encouraging, planning of dialogue, openness, justice, as if
there is a consciousness of the media planning.

Steigher

I could see by the statements despite of the negative things, all the negative
things that we discover, discuss a while ago about the media, with these
commitments I can see that deep within us we say that there is still hope in the
media and there is still hope for the media.

TON DANENBERG

A bit like old and new theology.

Old theology – the world is bad and salvation is outside this world.

New theology – being part of the world, more and more a world defined by
media. We can also say, no salvation outside the media but its an outside, not
an outside so we are part of it, is that we are resentful, you cannot help it, you
have.....or do.....

Not clear the way we want it to be....to see the signs of the times (Vatican II)

NJ

Sort our work, our role in communication and to find at least come starting
point in our vision. Maybe we have had this a long time. But at least today we have
articulated it. I don’t know that this will be fit for us or maybe this will change as we
think of these days. Maybe it will change tomorrow, next week. This will be clearer,
this will be different. The point is we have started the process of reflection.

I just want briefly to wrap this up by saying, going back to what Fr. Dave
started with yesterday. Lord, what is it that you want this weekend for us? To be for
us, to be for me? He said, Lord what is it that you want this day to be? After all of this,
what has the Lord told you? What does he tell you that he wants this weekend to be
for you? You can bring that question with you and answer it further....
 I don’t feel to repeat everything. This picture of PCCNet, a picture, ...those are
words but really more than words but I can understand... for now they are just
words. They are really expressions of ideals for a group of us who convened that but
for those words to become real and alive, we need people. Any symbol we draw it
will not have meaning if there aren’t people who are living out those ideals that
PCCNet stands for. So it is still an evolving concept, idea still to be realized. If you
feel that you encounter people who have the same ideals and who may want to be
part of realizing that ideal, you know how to get in touch with us.

Closing Remark NJ Viehland

As far as PCCNet is, for the group, I want to thank Frances who almost
single handedly prepared for the logistics, as a trainee and a new comer,
she really have find, helped us to make this possible, given our limited
resources. So, I thank Frances, I thank God for the gift of Frances.

I thank Bro. Dagoy for coming even, for catching up. So it was a struggle to
come but he came. Thank you Bro. Dagoy and for the gift of prayer. He
prepared it with so much seriousness and love. That was given a lot of
time.

I would like to thank Jofti for her joining, well for joining in the planning
from the very beginning and Jofti is also busy. As she shared with us her
thesis, she had planned to leave us this morning but she stayed and for the
activity last night.

I thank Jasmin, she shared a lot of her difficulties also. So there’s a kindred
spirits here. So, it is distressful for Jasmin and her situation, she came, she
doesn’t know us but she entrusted, this is, her coming is a sign of trust and
also acknowledgement, wanting to know about us. So I want to thank
Jasmin. We all thank Jasmin for coming.

Alexis too, Alexis struggled to come with deadline and all. Still, Alexis is
here and share and gave us insights into newspapering, secular work.

And, we all thank Steigher, our musical, for the gift of music and
entertainment. And all those things that Fr. Glenday talked about, joy, the
happiness and all that, we wish Steigher all the love, and we’re praying for
you all through your ordination even after.

We thank Marlon, Marlon constantly reminded us about heart; the feeling
sometimes, we are so focused on ideas as journalist and always Marlon
was so consistent about the feeling, the emotions, our impact, our influence
are moving people. I remember Marlon for that. And we will pray for
Marlon as he begins, as he prepares to leave for studies, training in Canda
in June. Marlon, we wish you the best. I am sure, you’ll go with the Lord.

We thank Franco for sharing with us, his struggle in Taliba as a religious
reporter. We feel for you, we cannot know, how did you experience it
because we are not have that exact same position. We want you to know
that we are concerned. We hope that someday, we can help and we wish
you luck, we thank you for the service that you give the Church publication
such as those that of those Redemptorist. We wish you luck, we wish the
Lord’s accompaniment as you continue with that work.

And we thank Henry our technical expert from CFA. It was hard also for
Henry to come because these conflicts with CFA Sportsfest and he came.
He shared from the perspective of somebody in a lot of technical aspect of
communication, video and others. And also training. We thank Henry also
because Henry helped in planning this event with us and has been pushing
us to “come on let us do something new, let’s not stop even if we don’t
have funds, let’s look for funds and even if we are eleven, let’s go ahead
with the activity. So, as long there are people, we can make this happen.
So, that is the kind of force that Henry has been we are thankful to the Lord
for him.

That is as much I want to say. The things I say in prayer. I thank the Lord for
everyone who is here and I know who will be, even if not here, we in
presence or us in PCCNet, we know will be there in this kind of an attitude,
an entirety, as spirit, a vocation where ever they are. We are bound with
this thing that we shared. This vocation we shared. I think it is true. It is
real. I felt this overnight.

Before we leave, I will ask you to help with evaluating. This is a suggestion
you can disregard it completely and write in the back which ever,
whatever thing you want to say about the activity. You can answer it this
way or you can, if it did, if this activity did not strike me as what we
prepared. Then you are free to write in the back.

GIVEN TOKEN TO TON D.

CERTIFICATES

100 YEARS OF PEACE.

I MADE A PLEDGE FOR PEACE.

PHILIPPINE CHURCH COMMUNICATOR’S

NETWORK (PCCNet)

“MEDIA AT THE SERVICE OF AUTHENTIC PEACE

RECOLLECTION AND MISSION CONFERENCE

CERTIFICATE OF PARTICIPATION

This is very special for us because we don’t know if we still see each other,
where your work would take you and this is something as a remembrance that
would tie us up together. This is more for the sentimental value and sign of our
journey together. Our relationship.

MARLON H.
(c/o Carmel Light)

I really would like to thank everyone here especially the organizers for
bringing us all together. And, “ngayon sinagot na ni Lord ‘yung tanong ko, bakit
niya ako dinala rito or ba’t ba ako nandito. Based on all the sharings that we had
parang ano lang siya affirmation, katulad ng sabi ni brother kanina meron pang
hope sa media, as long as there are people like you. So, I will take this two day
experience with me as I leave for my film schooling in Canada this June and I’m
praying to the Lord that, you will pray for me as I will pray for you, “kasi ‘yung lang
naman ang the best way to remember people is through prayer. So muli’t muli
nagpapasalamat ako sa inyo, let us all pray for one another. Thank you.
STEIGHER
(c/o Radio Veritas)

We should also thank Madam NJ for her leadership, for her very motherly
attitude and for her mere presence.