Communication challenges in the pandemic was the motto of the third meeting with priests promoted by Porto Regional Centre
The third edition of the Meeting of Universidade Católica Portuguesa, in Porto, with Priests, which this year took place in digital format, promoted the opportunity for reflection and discussion on "the challenges of communication in the pandemic" namely the dynamics in the context of the challenges of the digital world and the increasing need to know how to communicate.
In the opening session, the president of the Porto Regional Centre of Universidade Católica Portuguesa, Isabel Braga da Cruz, welcomed and reinforced the importance of this meeting, which aimed to "create a space for dialogue, meeting and sharing of the various dynamics developed." D. Armando Esteves Domingues, Auxiliary Bishop of Porto, welcomed those present and stressed the "fantastic opportunity for formation and growth".
The session featured presentations by Rodrigo Viana de Freitas, CEO of the Central de Informação Agency, on "The challenges of communication in the Pandemic. What Changes?"; by António Vicente, Parish Priest of Alcanede and head of the Family Pastoral Care of Rio Maior, with the presentation "What has already begun to change: GREAT LIGHT: project in the Diocese of Santarém"; and André Baltazar, vice-director of School of Arts of UCP, with a presentation about the Digital Creativity Center.
The inevitability of an edition in digital format allowed the fight between distances and more people could participate, thus having counted, among others, the presence of parish priests from the Diocese of Porto, the Diocese of Vila Real, deacons and members of Diocesan Secretariats and Services, the directors of the Academic Units and students of the 6th year of Theology.
"Meetings like this that allow strengthening the ties between Universidade Católica Portuguesa and the clergy have a double advantage", began by stating D. António Augusto Azevedo, Bishop of Vila Real, during the closing of the session. "For the university reinforces its commitment to the Church itself, of which it is part, and to the clergy because it allows a greater awareness about the role and work that the Católica in Porto assumes, helping us overcome some ignorance and even some resistance," he concluded.
The 3rd edition of the Meeting of Católica in Porto with the parish priests is, according to the President of the Porto Regional Center, an opportunity that will be repeated in the coming years with the reinforced commitment "to serve, to build bridges and to know how to reap the results". The participants also stressed the interest in the initiative, as well as the contributions that they would able to draw for their pastoral activity.