Professionals working in Catholic publications, media and communications across Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific are preparing for their annual training, development and networking conference.
A group of 40 members of the Australasian Catholic Press Association (ACPA), to which the Diocese of Parramatta and its publication Catholic Outlook belongs, will gather in Perth from 5 to 7 September to strengthen their skills and reflect on their role as Catholic communicators. It will be the first time the conference has been held in Perth since 2004.
ACPA was formed in 1955 and aims to promote professionalism and cooperation among members of the Catholic press and with other religious media. ACPA aims to promote the development, coverage and relevance of the religious media in our societies.
Mary Brazell, Communications Officer in the Diocese of Parramatta, currently serves in a volunteer capacity on the APCPA Executive Team as its Secretary, alongside colleagues from Townsville, Perth, Melbourne and Auckland.
The theme of this year’s conference is ‘Speaking with the Heart: “The Truth in Love” (Eph 4:5)’, inspired by Pope Francis’ message for the 57th World Day of Social Communications in May 2023.
This year, the ACPA Conference will aim to guide participants in how, as Catholic communications professionals, they can listen, speak, and communicate with heart, proposing, not imposing themselves, lovingly opening their hearts and minds to understand the profound meaning of what has happened, and to tell that story in the creative ways that they do.
A group of amazing and inspiring people from the Catholic community in Perth will speak about how they live out their ministry in truth and love as well as provide practical tips to delegates in an ever-changing media landscape. Speakers include:
- Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB, Archbishop of Perth and President of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, who will speak to the conference’s key theme.
- Seven News Perth broadcaster and journalist Rick Ardon, who will speak about his faith and his media career.
- Vatican News journalist Sr Bernadette Reis fsp, who will discuss the upcoming Synod on Synodality.
- Matthew Ferinda from Catholic Education Western Australia, who will showcase some of the upcoming AI technology that will benefit Catholic communicators.
Alongside professional development, the conference will include time for fellowship among delegates and Mass will be celebrated at St Mary’s Cathedral, Perth, with Archbishop Costelloe.
Concluding the conference will be the annual Dinner and Awards Ceremony, which recognise excellence in Catholic magazines, newspapers and digital publications across Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific across a variety of categories.
In the last few years, the Diocese of Parramatta has been fortunate to be recipients of awards including:
- Winner – Best News Content (2019)
- Winner – Best Use of Digital Media (2021)
- Winner – Best Content: Social Justice (2021)
- Winner – Best Headline (2022)
- Highly commended – Best Headline (2017)
- Highly commended – Best Use of New Media (2017)
- Highly commended – Best Content: Climate and Environment (2022)
- Highly commended – Best Content: Ecumenical/Interfaith (2022)
- Highly commended – Best Feature Content – Multiple Authors (2022)
ACPA President and Diocese of Townsville Communications Media Manager, Neil Helmore, said this year’s Conference is looking to increase the knowledge of Catholic communications professionals and how they can listen, speak, and communicate with heart.
“The Conference is always an insightful opportunity to come together with like-minded professionals, as we walk together in the journey of announcing the gospel as best we can,” he said.
“The theme this year will most definitely help us come together and grow in our discernment with a number of speakers providing guidance and insight into building our skills as communications professionals.
“We look forward to gathering together as Catholic communicators, as colleagues and as missionary disciples charged with spreading the Good News with truth and love.”
To learn more about ACPA, please visit acpa.asn.au
