austraLasia #2501
New media for new
apostles - and a distinguished Salesian 'life member'
SYDNEY: 15th September 2009 -- The Australian Catholic Press
Association, which concluded its annual Conference, this time held in
Sydney from 11-13 September, has just added a new 'Life Member' to its
ranks in the person of Fr Frank Freeman SDB, long time editor of the
Salesian Bulletin and active in Catholic Press generally as is detailed
below. The ACPA, part of the wider Australian religious Press
Association, represents religious press throughout Australasia, which
takes in New Zealand and the Pacific Islands as well as the Australian
continent. It has some 114 members representing 80 publications and
agencies. This year's conference focused on 'New Media for New
Apostles' and featured the globally well-known podcast priest Fr
Roderick Vanhogen of Utrecht Diocese, Holland. The citation for Fr
Freeman's life membership follows:
Our new 'Life Member' recently wrote an
editorial around the predictions of media pundits who regard today's
newspapers as "an endangered species" in a world of technical
innovations "where young people must be connected to their friends at
all times; their technical devices becoming part of their personal
identity and potential distribution channels for news and
entertainment."
In this digital news age the writer saw how his
congregation's founder, St John Bosco, first priest-editor of the
Salesian Bulletin would be ready to meet these restless consumers with
a niche publication of Christian spirituality that (quote) "slows
things down a little and tells us what's important and what's not,
especially at a local level".
I am of course talking about Fr Frank Freeman, The
Australian Editor of the Salesian Bulletin. As a Salesian, Frank is
part of the tradition of religious publishing that has always been a
feature of ACPA's membership.
As a priest-editor Fr Frank has served the
Association in ways that are professional and pastoral. He first became
our Treasurer in 1996 – a role he continued in until 2002, and was
active in at a time in the Association's life when new publications and
associate memberships saw us growing bigger and more diverse as a
group. Frank was always someone who would welcome the newcomer into the
group.
He has been a celebrant and homilist at our Masses
over the years, a conference presenter, and was the originator of the
handsome trophies for the Bishop Philip Kennedy Memorial Prizes which
are the product of a design and technology assignment he set for Year
12 students at Nagle College where he was for many years the principal.
Past President Penny Edman described Frank's
contributions as ACPA Treasurer in these terms - "As Father Frank
settled into the role he took it upon himself to be the guardian of the
membership. This meant that not only was he interested in increasing
the monetary figures under his control, he took an active and caring
interest in the people behind the membership dues - the editors and
later associates. In time, he became the association's grandfather
figure and after he relinquished responsibility at Nagle College he
took this even further, often visiting country editors while travelling
on some mission or another, sometimes going out of his way or making a
special trip. He was an emissary of light between us."
In recent years Father Frank has been the driving
force in tracking down from many diocesan archives and individuals the
primary and secondary sources that allowed us to reconstruct the
CPA/ACPA archive, efforts which have been fundamental in allowing us to
order our 54 year old archive and compile our own history in time for
this conference ...
Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen, ACPA
Life Member Father Frank Freeman.
_________________
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Title: australasia 2501
Subject and key words: EAO Provinces AUL media Fr Freeman
Date (year): 2009
ID: 2000-2099|2501
