World Communications Day

16 May 2010

The Catholic Church around the world celebrates World Communications Day on 16 May.  There's lots to celebrate here in our diocese.

A collection for the Catholic Communications Network (CCN) takes places throughout the Clifton Diocese and in all parishes in England and Wales.  CCN provides support for the Bishops of England and Wales in promoting the gospel in the media. 

In this current Year for Priests Father Robert King is one of a number of our priests picking up on the Holy Father's World Communications Day message with his popular ‘Father King’s Conversations’ podcast series. 

Pope Benedict XVI chose ‘The Priest and Pastoral Ministry in a Digital World: New Media at the Service of the Word’ as the theme for his message.  Father Robert is clearly accepting the Holy Father's challenge: "to proclaim the Gospel by employing the latest generation of audiovisual resources... which can open up broad new vistas of dialogue, evangelisation and catechesis." 

The World Communications Day message has been sent to all our priests well ahead of the special day.  You can download our presentation of it in the multimedia panel on the right.  

A new poster to let people know about cliftondiocese.com has also been distributed to all our parish communities.  The poster is also available in the multimedia panel on the right.  You can print your own copies to help people around our diocese be part of cliftondiocese.com and join in celebrating life in Catholic Church in the West of England.  The new poster highlights the 14 media awards achieved in the past four years and how cliftondiocese.com has been described as a prime example of public service broadcasting in the new media age by the BBC media correspondent.

A new episode of current series of ‘Father King’s Conversations’ is online every Wednesday only on cliftondiocese.com.  Father Robert is in conversation with leading thinkers and local people who enrich our lives through their cultural work.  The first series of ‘Father King’s Conversations’ is still online.

The current series of ‘Father King’s Conversations’ is supported by St Brendan's Sixth Form College.  The Bristol Catholic College for the community which sets and achieves high educational standards.  Students, from a variety of faith traditions and none, are encouraged to participate in an ongoing journey through reflection and the experience of others.  Find out more at the St Brendan's Sixth Form College website.

The current series of ‘Father King’s Conversations’ is also supported by Missio.  Mandated by the Pope to help the Catholic Church in the poorest areas of the world become self-sufficient, and to flourish according to local needs and traditions.  Find out more at the Missio website.

You can help other people know about ‘Father King’s Conversations’ by downloading and printing our striking poster promoting the podcast series in the multimedia panel on the right.

You can also listen to the first series of ‘Father King’s Conversations’ on BCfm 93.2 in Bristol.  Extended hour-long episodes are on air every Monday at 3.00 pm.  If you're not in Bristol you can listen anywhere online at bcfm.org.uk.  The extended radio version of the first series is supported by St Bede's Catholic College - the high-achieving Bristol college led by forward thinking people with traditional values, committed to preparing pupils well for a great adult life. Find out more about the college rated outstanding by Ofsted at the St Bede's Catholic College website.