Caceres archbishop tells SocCom reps to keep hearts open to the message of Christ

By Natalie Hazel Quimlat

Over 230 participants gathered last May 18 at the Archbishop Legaspi Hall of the Basilica Minore de Peñafrancia in Naga City for a regional conference and workshop organized by the Archdiocese of Caceres for Social Communications Ministries. 

Archbishop Rex Andrew Alarcon of Caceres, Chairman of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines Episcopal Commission on Social Communications (CBCP ECSC), celebrated the mass that capped the whole-day event.

In his homily, Alarcon focused on one’s relationship with Christ, the foundation and pillar of one’s work in the Ministry. According to the Archbishop, for one to communicate Christ, one must remain connected with Christ. 

He urged participants to “be sensitive to Christ’s message and to be more receptive to the promptings of the Holy Spirit”. 

He also highlighted the importance of purposeful communication and to always bring Christ to others. “Jesus is the eternal Word that is ever present and ever constant. He adds depth and light to our messages; and with Him, we become more effective,” he said. 

Alarcon also challenged the participants to be more physically present as they establish authentic human connections, amid advancements in digital communication. Echoing the Holy Father’s message for World Communications Sunday entitled “Preserving Human Voices and Faces”, the Archbishop reiterated that through one’s face, encounter occurs, and in one’s voice lies the uniqueness of a human person. 

This need for true human connection was also highlighted by keynote speaker, Edwin Lopez, CBCP ECSC Executive Secretary and current Executive Director for Asia Pacific of the Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN). 

According to Lopez, God’s communication strategy with man was His incarnation. “God chose to have an encounter with us, to be present in our midst and to accompany us,” he said. 

Lopez also urged participants to ask themselves if their presence serves as a channel in drawing others to God. 

Themed “Communicating Christ”, the event, which was a response to the call of Pope Leo XIV on World Communications Sunday, was organized by the Caceres Commission on Communications headed by Fr. Francis Tordilla, in partnership with the CBCP ECSC.