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| Bishop Mfumbusa of Kondoa Diocese |
The Chairman of Social Communications Department for the Tanzanian Episcopal Conference (TEC) Right Rev. Bernadin Francis Mfumbusa has challenged Bishops of Association Member Episcopal Conference in Eastern Africa (AMECEA) region to make use of new digital technology and social media to promote New Evangelization.
Presenting his paper on topic of “Influence/Impact/Role of new digital technology (ICT) and Social Media in the Evangelization work of the Church” on Monday 21 July 2014, Bishop Mfumbusa said that the Pastoral Agents of Evangelization must be conversant with new media technologies to avoid being left behind by the people whom they serve.
"More and more people use social media such as Facebook, LinkedIn, and Google Plus among others to exchange information and share knowledge. Facebook alone has 1 billion users and counting," he said adding that “Using new media technology is no longer optional. To exist in the information age is to be online.”
"Today many people consult Google or wikis for information rather than Catechists or Parish Priests. Actually, Google has become a sort of an oracle of information age," he added.
He made an appeal to Bishops to incorporated ICT is in the seminary training. “ICT is now becoming a popular means of communication; if we are not really up to date in using these technologies, we cannot even fulfil Jesus mandate of going to the world and make people his disciples,” he said adding that with social media, the church will be able to foster new community, attract new parishioners, by so creating virtual parishes and dioceses.
Bishop Mfumbusa urged each Episcopal Conference to develop an information policy that will guide flow of information in the conference
He further advocated for training of other Church personnel because most of these have limited knowledge leading to limited communication. Bishop Mfumbusa advised AMECEA to organise awareness conference for bishops in the region to increase ICT literacy.
By Fr. Winfield Kunda & Makeda Yohannes