Pope Benedict XVI: 46th World Communications Day

                                                                        

Pope Benedict XVI issued in the Vatican his message for the 46^th World Communications Day during the feast of St Francis de Salles, patron saint of Journalists. His bears the words: “Silence and Word: path of evangelization” as the theme of the message for the day to be marked on the Sunday before Pentecost which this year falls on the 20^th of May. Pope Benedict XVI refers to silence and word as two aspects of communication that needs to be kept in balance if authentic dialogue and deep closeness between people are to be achieved. He said word and silence are important aspects for those engaged in evangelization and are essential in the Church’s work in communicating Christ in today’s world.
                                                                         

The Popes message comes today when the Church is struggling with new evangelization in an era full of prejudices from both her clergy as well as the general public. The recent church scandals of pedofilia have left in the church a big wound that in someway impedes the Church through her ministers in fitting the gospel message. But the upcoming change in moral outlook of social values still remains great challenges for the churcu in so far as gay matrimony and sexual transformation is concerned.

Pope Bebenedict addresses the world as an effort to communicate his message to urge catholic to reflect on silence and word as a path to new evangelization. He encourages his brothers and sisters in the Church to use silence and word as means of communcation which calls for the use of modern means of communication like the internet as instruments that speak audibly but in silence.

Film making at Santa Croce University

                                                                             

Today at the studios of the Holy Cross School of Communication there took place a big event. The studios are located near piazza Farnese in the Eternal city of Rome. In the event was the inauguration of four new films prepared by the students from the third years circle II. The event was attended by 18 students who in the event are the potential film makers of the future, Prof. Fuster and Prof Noblejas who also are the main film directors.

                                                                                

In this occasion four films were inaugurated including: H5N5, TI SARO VICINO, SOTTO LA PIOGGIA and IL SOGNO DI ORO. The four are great films produced by young artists professing from Sceneggiatura at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome. The films reveals great talented artist in our age. The inauguration came with a success in which all the four films were awarded the Fuster Premier Awards.

                                                                                                                                                    

The innauguration event came in time for the students of Sceneggiatura on their grand moment to finally present their film projects which had begun at the beggining of this semester. The presentation was a success in that all the four groups produced tremendous works. Guiding Professors admitted the fact that the projects were a success.

                                                                                

The presentation begun with the group that produced H5H5 with Danielle Sebatianelli as the chairman, then followed the second group presenting TI SARO VICINO with Cesar Annidal as the chairman, then came the third group chaired by Ngalo Monoulphe presenting the film SOTTO LA PIOGGIA. The presentation was closed by the last and fourth group under the leadership of Eric presenting the film SOGNI DI ORO.

An Italian Cruise ship capsizes near Giglio

An Italian Liner cruising from Civita Vecchia Port through Barcelona to Majorca capsized a few kilometers from the port of departure last Friday. The accident happened after the ship hit a rock and ran aground near the island of Giglio, late on Friday. The reason for the incident is still under investigation. An unverified source claims that the command systems did not function as they should have and that the rock was not marked on any maritime charts of the area. The accident claimed the lives of three people and injuring about 70 of the 4000 people aboard the Costa Concordia. The vast hulk of the 290-metre-long cruise ship, resting half-submerged on its side, loomed over the little port of Giglio, a picturesque island in a maritime nature reserve off the Tuscan coast. A large gash was visible in its side.

The vessel's operator, Costa Crociere, a unit of Carnival Corp & Plc, the world's largest cruise company, said the Costa Concordia had been sailing on its regular course when it struck a submerged rock. It is said that the accident happened when passengers had just sat down to dinner, a few hours after leaving the port of Civitavecchia near Rome. A loud rumble was heard followed by falling of glasses and plates from the tables, the ship tilted and the lights went off. The ship was carrying mainly Italian passengers, but also British, Germans, French, Spanish, Americans and others. Many were elderly and some were in wheelchairs.

The task to evacuate passengers from the capsized ship was difficult and challenging. The task is akin to searching a small town - but one tilted on its side, largely in darkness and partly submerged in freezing water. Scores of divers were taking part. Rescue workers including specialist diving teams were working their way through more than 2,000 cabins on the ship, a floating resort that boasted a huge spa, seven restaurants, bars, cinemas and discotheques.  After a night-time operation on Friday and Saturday involving helicopters, ships and lifeboats, many passengers had left the area with many taken to Rome airport for flights home. This is a second accident involving the ship after that on November 22, 2008 when it hit a port wall and was damaged while docking.

   

AFRICAE MUNUS handed to Africa

                                                                          

Pope Benedict XVI signed the Post-synodal apostolic Exhortation Africae Munus on November 19^th 2011 in the Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Ouida, Benin. He said it would guide the pastoral activities of the Church in Africa for the coming years. The document is practical and pastoral. It is set in the context of modern Africa, characterised by many positive aspects and serious challenges such as civil wars, ethnic conflicts, diseases and illiteracy. Although the exhortation is specifically addressed to Catholics, it is open to ecumenical and inter-religious dialogue. Hence, it is also meant for people of other churches and religions in Africa, for example, Moslems and believers in the African traditional religion because reconciliation, justice and peace concern them too.

                                                   Pope Benedict XVI signing Africe Munus 

              

The signing of the document which has significant important for the Church in Africa towards true reconciliation, peace and justice was realised in the Papal visit in Benin last November. For the People of Africa, particularly Catholics the documents entails great responsibilities both of evangelisation but more of living their faith authentically in the wake of a continent gravely wounded by poverty, disease and wars. The chairman for Episcopal conference for Africa and Madagascar, Polycarp Cardinal Pengo exhorted the family of God in Africa to well equip themselves in executing the exhortations of the document in the process of establishing  reconciliation, peace and justice for the people of Africa.

 Pope Benedict XVI with Benin President Yayi Boni