Sunyani: The Most Reverend Mathew Kwasi Gyamfi, the President of the Ghana Catholic Bishops' Conference, at the weekend urged parishes and Catholic institutions to leverage social media and sharpen the narratives of the Catholic Church.

According to Ghana News Agency, Rev Gyamfi emphasized that new media offers opportunities for the church to intensify evangelism by projecting its doctrines and teachings and advancing the Kingdom of God. He highlighted the directive of Jesus Christ to preach to every corner of the earth, stating that not everyone can be a priest, thus leveraging the digital space is essential to fulfill this mandate.

Rev Gyamfi was speaking at a media training event organized by the Department of Social Communication (DEPSOCOM) of the Sunyani Catholic Diocese in Sunyani. The training aimed to equip volunteers from various parishes and Catholic institutions with skills to actively use social media to promote the activities of their respective communities.

The event was attended by approximately 80 volunteers drawn from 51 parishes and Catholic institutions within the diocese. Rev Gyamfi expressed concern about the church's lag in efficient communication despite rapid technological advancements and stressed the importance of empowering parishes to "tell our stories and achievements, as we advance evangelism in the digital space."

He encouraged parishes to embrace volunteering and community service while preaching the word of God online. The Rev Father George Kumi-Mensah, DEPSOCOM Director for the Sunyani Catholic Diocese, noted that modern technology facilitates gospel propagation and underscored the necessity for the church to adapt to technological advancements.

Rev Fr Kumi-Mensah described new media as a digital continent where people seek meaning for their lives, urging participants to utilize these tools to share the stories of spiritual, social, educational, and health-related events in their parishes.

Mrs. Victoria Nana Ama Figyina Adu from the Department of Communications at the Sunyani Technical University and Mr. Vincent Amankona from the Catholic University of Ghana led sessions on news writing and reporting, data protection, social media account security, and news blog management.