Around 80 religious sisters meet in the Vatican to share their belief that communication is not only for media professionals but for everyone, since each of us connects with others through words, gestures, and other forms of expression.
By Sr. Jecinter Antoinette Okoth, FSSA
Catholic sisters gathered for a Jubilee conference at the Vatican Apostolic Library on Thursday, January 23, and expressed the need for everyone to recognize that communication is a way of living and not just a specialized technique.
Sr. Polla Moggi, an Italian-born Comboni Missionary Sister, expressed her joy that sisters are enriching people by offering hope, inspiration, and support through communication.
“We see that participants are excellent communicators because they were bringing life to other people,” said Sr. Moggi, who is currently based in South Sudan and is setting up an Institute of Communication and Media at the Local Catholic University.
Speaking to Vatican News at the “Weaving Communion through Communication,” Sr. Moggi noted that communication is not just something for specialists but something everyone should take to heart.
Having received a degree from the Pontifical Salesian University, the religious sister highlighted that each person needs to discern their vocation and communicate best through their own God-given talents.
“Listening to ourselves will help us identify the talents God has given us to be more flourishing in certain areas,” said Sr. Moggi. “For those who have the vocation to serve well in the use of social media or Artificial Intelligence, this is their evangelization task. Others may be more on the listening side, on the mentorship of spiritual direction, it is all communication.”
Around 80 sisters attended the event
At the side event of the Jubilee of the World of Communications, Catholic sisters had the opportunity to interact with international experts, exchange insights from sisters with diverse communication backgrounds, and contribute to discussions aimed at igniting hope in today’s media landscape.
Sr. Karolina Luczak, another participant in the conference and a member of the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth from Poland, underscored the importance of the services offered by the sisters across the world.
“I am happy with what the sisters are doing to the people for the love of God,” she told Vatican News. “I appreciate how experienced they are for the love of communication and the many ideas I have gathered here I am taking back home.”
Another participants, Sr. Lucy Hometowu, a Ghanaian-born religious with the Sisters of Mary Mother of the Church, acknowledged that most people do not know what the sisters are doing.
She said the conference was an eye-opener for the sisters to share their own stories in hopes of telling them to the wider world.
“This workshop empowers us to share our stories and encourage one another that together in communion and participation we continue to spread the good news of Christ in hope to all those we serve,” said Sr. Hometowu.
