Consider “aggressiveness” in Communication Apostolate: Jesuit Priest to Women Religious Communicators in Ghana

“Be aggressive because you are going to be the voice of the voiceless; the people who cannot speak, you are going to speak for them,” Fr. Timothy emphasized, and added, “You are going to be activists. Communicators are activists; so, we want to see that in you. Speak for your Congregation; speak for the society you find ourselves."

Looking back at the time he was in formation, the Jesuit Priest shared, "I just want to say that you have an opportunity given to you that we did not have. When I was in formation, we never had these opportunities to do these things ... Please, take advantage of it.”

“I never did communication. I am a psychologist; that’s where I come from. But I write. I have published one book already and I have another two books in the pipeline,” Fr. Timothy told the participants in the media and communication training.

He encouraged them to “make use of the knowledge” from the nine-day training, strive to make communication “a hobby”, and added, “As we go through this, start writing your notes, and you can publish them.”

Organized by CMSRGH in collaboration with the U.S.-based Conrad N. Hilton Foundation (CNHF) and Sisters of Mary Mother of the Church (SMMC), the ongoing May 6-14 training has brought together participants from multiple women Religious Orders in Ghana under the label, “Media & Communication Training for Sister Communicators”.

Some of the Religious Orders represented include Daughters of the Most Holy Trinity (FST), Handmaids of the Divine Redeemer (HDR), Handmaids of the Holy Child Jesus (HHCJ), and Missionary Sisters of Holy Rosary (MSHR).

Others are Notre Dame de l’Eglise (NDE), Sisters of Mary Immaculate (SMI), SMMC, Sisters of St Louis (SSL), Sisters of the Incarnate Word (SVI), and the Society of Infant Jesus (SIJ).

Participants in the training are to have practical sessions in writing, photography, videography, and engaging social media forums and peripherals, and be part of a network of women Religious communicators in Ghana. 

In her input during the May 7 opening session of the training, the Coordinator of the Media Training Project, Sr. Cecilia Afari, highlighted the objectives of the initiative.

Sr. Cecilia Afari of the Sisters of Mary Mother of the Church (SMMC), the Coordinator of the Media Training Project. Credit: Sr. Sylvie Cho of the Missionary Sisters of Holy Rosary (MSHR)/Ghana

"The project goal is to establish visibility of religious institutes in Ghana,” Sr. Cecilia said. 

The Ghanaian-born SMMC member explained, “You will all agree with me that not everyone knows what Sisters do; they say all sorts of things about us."

She went on to urge the Catholic Nuns participating in the training “to be present heart and soul to feel the import of the training so that at the end one will feel that she has graduated from the School of Journalism.”

Damian Avevor, one of the facilitators, encouraged the participants to practice what they learn.

“The skills must be nurtured every day so that you become conversant with your work,” Mr. Avevor, who serves as the Director of News and Editorial at Global NewsWatch Media and Communications and the Supervising Editor of Newswatchgh.com, said.

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Meanwhile, speaking to ACI Africa correspondent on the sidelines of the opening of the nine-day training, participants shared about their interest in the media and communication training initiative.

Credit: NewsWatch

"I am glad to be part of this nine-day workshop for Sister Communicators. It's a great opportunity for me and other Sisters in Ghana to be exposed to the media space," Sr. Gifty Anasthasia Blewu, a member of SMMC, said.

Sr. Emmanuella Dakurah, a HHCJ member, lauded the training initiative, describing it as a “privilege”. 

The training, Sr. Emmanuella said, is “a great opportunity for us Sisters in Ghana to be given this privilege to be trained in the media sector as communicators because we have so much we do and our (services) go unnoticed."

On her part, Sr. Juliana Atuura, a SMI member, expressed her satisfaction with the May 7 events of the opening session, which said calmed her anxiety about the training and heightened her interest in the nine-day program.

Ernest Senanu Dovlo contributed to the writing of this story