At the opening, Bonny Maheshe, editor-in-chief of Jambo Vijana, briefly introduced the biography of St. Francis de Sales, presenting him as a humanist capable of communicating God. Then, with reference to the theme of the Rector Major’s Strenna for 2022, "Do all through love, nothing through constraint," he invited the audience to reflect on the contribution of St. Francis de Sales as a communicator, who despite having to go through difficult times, was able to move forward, with joy and enthusiasm, in the search and implementation of God’s will.
Next, diocesan priest Fr Gabriel Hangi focused his presentation on the "Christian view of communication practices and the Church's expectations of the profession of journalists and communicators." He presented the profession of journalism as both noble and dangerous. According to the speaker, the Christian journalist is distinguished from any other journalist by his or her responsibility in choosing the material to cover in the news he or she broadcasts or publishes, since he or she must put Christian and moral values at the forefront.
"Every choice a journalist makes carries with it a certain morality. That is to say, the Christian journalist must be responsible for his choices, his message and also his writings," he added.
He then pointed out to journalists and communicators in Goma the three main "sins of the journalist" they must not commit: misinformation, gossip and slander.
This exhortation was also supported by Ms. Rosalie Zawadi, President of the National Press Union of Congo, North Kivu Section who, in her presentation on "Ethics and Deontology of the Journalist" insisted on the moral attitudes that every journalist must adopt to grow in this profession.
For his part, Fr Jean-Pierre Muhima Mutaka, in charge of the Salesian Youth Ministry of the AFC-EST Delegation, and Editorial Director of Jambo Vijana, expressed his satisfaction with the interest shown by the participants, who discovered with pleasure the figure of St. Francis de Sales, whose qualities and means of communication are still relevant four centuries after his death. And he invited the journalists of Goma to a greater professional commitment.
"We are called to resume the work of transmitting the faith in a context in which we are tempted by despair or discouragement, because Christianity seems increasingly alien to the culture that surrounds us," he said.
