austraLasia #1986


Voice Katolika's "valuable insights into challenges and opportunities for Church media"

HONIARA: 20th November 2007 --  While the news item is itself now two months old, it still 'has legs' as journalists put it. Voice Katolica, the Quarterly Catholic Magazine of the Solomon Islands, and brainchild of Fr Ambrose Pereira sdb, journalist extraordinaire and Rector of the Salesian Community based in Honiara and environs, was 'high commended' for its third quarter 'Health and Environment' edition 2006, at the Australasian Catholic Press Association (ACPA) annual conference held in Auckland New Zealand in September. The award is well known in Oceanian circles, where Voice Katolica circulates, but less so elsewhere in the EAO region, hence this brief explanation and background.
    The current president of ACPA. Jane Favotto, was delighted with the presence of Fr Ambrose at the Award-giving function in Auckland: "Australasian members have gained valuable insights into the different challenges and opportunities for Church media in the Solomons", she said as she promised to continue the initiative to extend the hand of friendship to those in Oceania.
    The writer currently has the 2007 Third Quarter edition in hand. It sells for SBD 5.00, an A4 size glossy-covered magazine containing 26 pages. One notes that the 'health and environment' theme so important to SI existence, continues; the general theme of this edition is 'Health Care and Social Services', and includes articles on HIV/AIDS, promoting the Gospel of Life, an editorial by Ambrose on 'The microbe is nothing, the terrain everything', another article on social welfare as partnership, community-based rehabilitation, adequate education as a right for the disabled.... most articles are written by Solomon Islanders, a number of whom have been through intensive training courses in basic journalism conducted by Catholic Communications Solomons.
    In fact, Fr Ambrose has pioneered an approach to journalism in the Solomon Islands over a troubled and difficult period which has given a lead to other media, including secular media. As a Salesian he writes and selects articles with a sensitivity that balances objectivity with a positive outlook.  Not only was the 'Health and Environment' issue commended for its ability to bring practical advice and moral guidance to ordinary people in their daily lives, but his articles on the Tsunami which struck the Western Solomons, and the World Youth Day, were similarly commended.  Voice Katolica, which represents the views of the Church in the Solomon Islands, including hierarchy, Religious and laity of three dioceses (Fr Ambrose is Director of Catholic Communications for Honiara Archdiocese), stands out as a quality magazine in a region where it is very difficult to produce and distribute material of this kind.
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