The fourth day of the Communications Week activities at Saint Martin’s De Porres Catholic Cathedral, Katsina, commenced with a Rosary Procession led by Master David Andrew of the Holy Childhood Association.
The Rosary procession was followed by the celebration of Holy Mass at 6:05 p.m., presided over by the Cathedral Administrator, Very Rev. Fr. Mathias Abbas Bakoshi.
Liturgy of the Word
The readings of the day were proclaimed by Mr. Elijah Msuega.
The First Reading was taken from Acts of the Apostles 17:15, 22–18:1, while the Responsorial Psalm was taken from Psalm 148, with the response: “Heaven and earth are full of your glory.”
The Gospel reading, taken from John 16:12–15, was proclaimed by Very Rev. Fr. Mathias Abbas Bakoshi.
The celebration continued with the Offertory Procession and the Liturgy of the Eucharist, with the faithful participating actively in the Holy Mass.
A special thanksgiving offering was also presented by the World Apostolate of Fatima as part of the celebration of the Feast of Our Lady of Fatima.
Holy Mass concluded with the final blessing at 6:35 p.m.
COMMUNICATIONS WEEK DAY FOUR TALK
THEME: “DIGITAL EMPATHY”
Presented by Mrs. Amarachi Ibekwe
The Day Four Communications Week session focused on the theme “Digital Empathy,” presented by Mrs. Amarachi Ibekwe, who challenged participants to reflect on how they respond to others within the digital space.
Opening her presentation with thought-provoking questions such as “How well do we respond to people in the digital space?” and “How can we bring our hearts of empathy to social media?”, Mrs. Ibekwe encouraged the faithful to examine the way they communicate and interact with others online.
She noted that in a digital environment increasingly characterised by negativity, insults, hate speech, hostility, and misunderstanding, Christians are called to reflect Christ through their thoughts, words, and actions—not only in their physical interactions but also in their online presence.
Action Points for Digital Empathy
Mrs. Ibekwe highlighted practical steps that Christians can take to promote empathy and positivity in the digital space:
Send words of encouragement daily to people, helping to uplift those who may be experiencing emotional struggles or depression.
Communicate with clear words, rather than relying solely on emojis and stickers, so that one's intentions can be properly understood and misunderstandings avoided.
Protect your mental health by being mindful of the content you consume online and knowing what to read, engage with, or avoid.
Wisdom in Navigating the Digital World
The Cathedral Administrator, Very Rev. Fr. Mathias Abbas Bakoshi, further enlightened the faithful on the importance of Digital Empathy.
He encouraged everyone to exercise caution regarding what they read and how they respond to information and conversations in the digital space.
According to him, wisdom is essential when navigating the digital world. He urged the faithful to read, listen, and observe carefully before reacting, stressing the importance of thoughtful and responsible communication.
He also cautioned against spreading hate speech on social media and encouraged the faithful to remain genuine and authentic in all they do, including their online interactions and digital presence.
Interactive Session
The presentation was followed by an interactive question-and-answer session, during which participants raised questions on digital communication and empathy.
The questions were adequately addressed by both Mrs. Amarachi Ibekwe and the Cathedral Administrator, providing further clarification on responsible and Christ-centred engagement in the digital space.
Following the question-and-answer session, the Offertory was taken and announcements concerning the following day's programme were made.
The faithful were also reminded that the following day would be the Feast of the Ascension of the Lord, and were encouraged to participate in either the morning or evening Holy Mass.
The day's programme concluded with the Closing Prayer and Final Blessing, given by the Diocesan Chancellor, Very Rev. Fr. Luka Magaji Yohanna, at 7:25 p.m.
The session ended with a prayerful reminder that Christians are called to use their words positively and responsibly, both offline and online.
May God give us the grace to use our words positively, through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Reported by Judith Onwordi