Signis Indonesia wraps up its 44th annual meeting in Ketapang
by Mathias Hariyadi

More than 35 people attended the event, mostly priests working in the communications field for their respective dioceses. A new leadership takes over for 2018-2022 as Fr Steven Lalu, of the diocese of Manado, becomes the new president. Young and women are encouraged to play a greater role in media and communications.


Ketapang (AsiaNews) – The 44th annual meeting of Signis Indonesia (pictured), the local chapter of the World Catholic Association for Communication, was held in the Diocese of Ketapang (West Kalimantan) on 24-28 February.

Mgr Pius Riana Prapdi, bishop of the host diocese, and Mgr Datus Hilarion Lega, bishop of Manokwari-Sorong (West Papua) and head of the Commission for Social Communication of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Indonesia (KWI), presided over the symposium.

More than 35 people attended the event, most of them priests working in the communications field in their respective dioceses.

Mgr Hilarion Lega reiterated his support for Signis Indonesia in its mission to improve the skills of each professional serving the Church, to spread the joy of the Gospel through the media.

Fr Frans de Sales, head of Social Communication for the Diocese of Palembang (South Sumatra) for the past 20 years and president of Signis Indonesia for eight, presented a general review on some projects in which local dioceses worked together.

For the coming four-year period (2018-2022), the clergyman passed the torch of president to Fr Steven Lalu, of the Diocese of Manado (North Sulawesi).

Speaking to AsiaNews, Signis Asia's Secretary General, Bernadetta Widiandajani, said that Signis Indonesia is called to encourage young people and women to play a greater role in the field of media and communications.

 "This represents significant progress since, for many years, mostly priests were involved in social communications," she said.