The Archdiocese of Colombo is home to roughly half of the 1.45 million Catholics living in the South Asian island nation of Sri Lanka, where almost 70% of the approximately 22 million inhabitants are Buddhists. This Catholic community includes something like 150,000 young people who, like youth everywhere in the world, are deeply fascinated by the world of social media and artificial intelligence. Consequently, the Church wishes to actively engage with this topic, recognizing that while it involves serious ethical and moral challenges, it simultaneously offers immense potential for evangelisation.
Risks and opportunities in the digital world
Father Jude Chrysantha Fernando, the priest responsible for social media matters in the archdiocese, emphasizes that the digital space can be highly beneficial when directed toward the common good. However, he warns about the hidden dangers that threaten individual dignity and institutional integrity:
„The digital world is neither good nor bad in itself. It can be good so long as it is used for the benefit of society. Yet there is a danger that journalistic professionalism and the credibility of the information media can be undermined. And individuals can also be damaged in their human dignity and personal reputation as a result. At the same time the holiness of the Catholic Church can be tarnished as a result. Young people are easily fooled by these creative video clips, and so it is important that we train our young people and show them how to use these media in a positive and fruitful manner“.
Despite these vulnerabilities, Father Fernando argues that modern platforms are highly valuable resources for modern ministry, pointing out that the Catholic Church historically acted very wisely by being the first to adopt breakthrough technologies like printing and radio. Since most individuals in society own a smartphone today, spreading the Gospel message via social networks has become easier than ever.
Ethical training in the Archdiocese of Colombo
To ensure that digital technologies effectively serve the Church’s mission, young people must be solidly grounded in communication skills and thoroughly aware of the moral aspects involved. The Archbishop of Colombo, Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, highlighted the significance of this educational initiative:
„Our young people need to be trained in order to become ethically conscious journalists who can employ the modern technologies on the basis of the Church‘s teaching and in line with with the Year of Renewal which we are currently celebrating in our parishes“.
To achieve this overall aim, the archdiocese is planning to offer specialized 16-day courses for up to 400 young people as part of their comprehensive training in ethical journalism. These educational tracks will be run by professional Catholic journalists and university professors. Following their graduation, the participants will work across the parishes of the archdiocese, systematically passing on what they have learnt to other young people. This project aims to train up a new generation of Catholic media specialists capable of exercising a highly positive influence on the country’s media landscape and society as a whole, a plan that will receive a 7,500 Euros financial contribution.
