Catholic Communication Campaign Uses Technology to Share the Faith

WASHINGTON—The 2014 Collection for the Catholic Communication Campaign (CCC) will be taken up in many dioceses the weekend of May 31-June 1. The collection offers an opportunity for Catholics around the country to support evangelization through technology and social media by supporting the productio

WASHINGTON—The 2014 Collection for the Catholic Communication Campaign (CCC) will be taken up in many dioceses the weekend of May 31-June 1. The collection offers an opportunity for Catholics around the country to support evangelization through technology and social media by supporting the production and dissemination of high-quality Catholic content via the Internet, television, radio, and print publications.

The collection funds regional, national, and international grants for communications projects, as well as the creation of sustainable Catholic media outlets for many dioceses. Fifty percent of parishioners’ contributions to the campaign stay in each diocese to fund local communication needs.

The 2014 Catholic Communication Campaign focuses on the theme of faith, worship, and witness. Technology offers essential tools to aid in the practice of faith, in worship and in opportunities for witness.

“When people think of evangelization, they don’t usually think first of communications,” said Bishop Joseph J. Tyson of Yakima, Washington, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ CCC subcommittee. “But in order to live the faith, someone has to tell us about it. Whether that was our parents, grandparents, a friend, or colleague, we all learned about the faith through communication.”

“This collection serves projects that carry out our duty to tell the world about our faith and to strengthen and catechize the faith of our brothers and sisters,” said Bishop Tyson. “Many Catholics around the world live in isolation and modern technology allows them to stay in touch with other Catholics and to grow in their faith,” he said.

In his message for the 48th World Communications Day, Pope Francis says that technology is a “gift from God.” He challenges the Church to use this tool to promote the faith, asking how communication can “be at the service of an authentic culture of encounter?”

The collection funds many projects that answer the call of Pope Francis. In Africa, the campaign funded the Kenya Election Assistance Project, an initiative of the Kenyan Episcopal Conference (KEC), which utilized text messaging and other new tools to prevent violence during the 2013 elections. The initiative successfully sent messages through radio, television and online media, encouraging people to address their differences by peaceful means.

The Catholic Communication Campaign also funds Radio Magnificat, the Catholic radio station of Brazzaville in the Republic of Congo. Founded in 2006 by the National Episcopal Conference of Congo, the station broadcasts messages of reconciliation, unity, and peace. The station also works to spread awareness of the fight against poverty. As the first Christian radio station in the country, Radio Magnificat serves Christians of all denominations in addition to its Catholic audience.

These are just two examples of how a gift to the Catholic Communication Campaign helps people grow in their faith and share it with others. More information, including collection materials, can be found online: https://www.usccb.org/catholic-giving/opportunities-for-giving/catholic-communication-campaign/index.cfm.

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Keywords: National Collections, Catholic Communication Campaign, CCC, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, USCCB, missionary work, evangelization, Bishop Joseph J. Tyson, grants, projects, digital media, social media, communications, evangelization, funding, Kenya, Kenyan Episcopal Conference.

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