Rome, Italy: Eleven individuals, Claretian, laypersons, and religious completed their Webinar-Workshop on Basic Web Design, WordPress Web Creation, and the Use of Social Media offered by the communication department of the congregation and facilitated by Fr. Louie Guades III, CMF, from February 6 to 10, 2023. The 25-hour webinar workshop was conceptualized initially for the Claretians of Cameroun Independent Delegation and then extended to the Association of Claretians in Africa (ACLA), but later opened to others who were interested, which led to its split into two batches.
The first batch comprises a Claretian from Fr. Rhoel Gallardo Province, Sch. Kent Niño Aurit, CMF; four youths from different parts of the Philippines: Gerald Abastillas, Charles Francis Julian, and Joshua Sosmeña; a Claretian from Indonesia-Timor Leste Independent Delegation, Sch. Mario Cole Putra, CMF; and six sisters from the Medical Mission Sisters (MMS): Sisters Usha Gaikwad, Angela Barwa, Anna Kalista Bara, Kritina Ekka, Margret Lyngdoh, and Jayshree Macwan.
The primary purpose of the webinar workshop is to equip individuals, either a Claretian, a layperson working with the Claretians, or other religious, with the capacity to create and maintain their institutional websites and act differently on social media. It’s a glimpse into a fraction of the mission of a Cybermissionary. It’s also a way to encourage others to serve rather than to be served. It’s a way to “teach how to fish” rather than provide them with fish.
During the sessions, Fr. Louie provided individual subdomains for the students to practice what they have learned individually and later moved towards working as a team and creating a team website. The students also had the chance to learn some available alternative free apps for creating materials for social media evangelization. At the end of the course, they all showed gratitude for the availability and for extending the course to them and looked forward to re-echoing the sessions with others.
“When you began with social media, those nine steps, I really found them meaningful because I have a kind of aversion toward Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. WhatsApp, I use it because it’s a necessity. But I think it has changed my way of looking at it and also the way I can use it to influence,”
said Sr. Usha Gaikwad, MMS, on the last day as she thanked the facilitator and those present. The second batch, with 32 individuals enrolled mainly from Africa and Asia, will be on February 20 to 24, 2022.
The General Government of the Claretian Missionaries utilizes a communication system, including official media and social media accounts, to provide the latest updates on the realization and unfolding of the Congregation’s Dream.
