2022 RCSC Annual Meet With A Difference

KOTA KINABALU – This year’s annual meeting of the Regional Commission for Social Communication (RCSC) of Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei via Microsoft Teams on Sept 13-14 was quite different. The members were not required to submit their annual reports as had been done in previous meetings. Instead, they just listened, discussed, shared and learned from each other in line with Pope Francis’ 56th World Day of Social Communication message ” Listening with the ear of the heart.”

In attendance were 25 participants: three members each from the 11 arch/dioceses of the region, and representatives from SIGNIS Malaysia and the Daughters of St Paul. The opening Mass Sept 13 was presided by Cardinal William Goh of Singapore, the archbishop in charge of the RCSC, livestreamed from the Communications Centre Office Singapore, followed by his welcome and keynote address based on the pope’s WCD message.

The participants discussed on possible collaboration among the arch/dioceses to come out with a single or joint platform on various issues and the need to set up a crisis communication centre or office in each arch/diocese. These discussions were continued on the second day but no decisions were taken. Aside from the discussions, the participants also shared on their respective social communication office’s involvement in the synodal process, the issues or points that emerged from the process, and the contributions the media office could make to further the objectives of the synod.

The venue for 2023 RCSC meeting will be in Sibu but the date has yet to be set. The meeting concluded with a virtual Mass by Abp Julian Leow of KL.