‘Strive to communicate hope; speak the truth with love’, says MCK CEO
Catholic media practitioners in Kenya have been challenged to actively contribute to shaping messages in today’s world, especially in the face of growing moral and social challenges.
In his message at the celebration of the World Communications Day (WCD) 2025, which the Catholic media network in the Archdiocese of Nairobi (ADN) organised on 1 June, Media Council of Kenya (MCK) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) David Omwoyo emphasised the need for a renewed media focus on messages that inspire hope.
‘Whether it is through conversations in our homes, messages we share on WhatsApp, stories we hear on the radio, or posts on social media, each of us has a role in shaping the message of our time,’ Omwoyo said in the message that Christine Nguku, the Assistant Director in charge of Training and Curriculum Development at the MCK, delivered on his behalf at the event held at St Patrick’s Thika Parish of ADN.
Omwoyo encouraged media practitioners to remain focused on their sacred calling amid challenges such as corruption, tribalism, misinformation, economic hardship and even despair among the youth.
‘Even in these struggles, the Lord calls us to be messengers of hope, not fear; witnesses of truth, not gossip; builders of peace, not division’
Referring to the late Pope Francis’ 57th WCD message in 2023 titled, ‘Speaking with the heart: the truth in love (Eph 4:15)’, the MCK CEO called upon members of the Catholic media network Nairobi to foster ‘heart to heart’ communication.
The late Pope Francis, he said, ‘reminds us that communication should be heart to heart’. ‘He encourages us to be artisans of peace – people who speak and write in ways that bring healing, build understanding, and reflect God’s mercy.’
Omwoyo, who was the national Executive Secretary of the Communications Commission of the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB) before moving on to MCK, encouraged Catholic media practitioners in the East African nation to strive to communicate hope in what he described as ‘speaking the truth with love’.
He cautioned against the sharing of fake news or divisive messages, be it in families, workplaces, or online, and instead focus on ‘telling the stories of faith in our parishes and villages-stories of young people choosing virtue, families staying strong, and communities coming together in service’
Omwoyo encouraged media practitioners to communicate hope through listening particularly to those ‘who feel forgotten, our youth, the poor, the sick and the elderly’.
He urged Catholic journalists to reflect Christ in their tone, their intentions, and in their witness ‘so that people encounter not just our words, but His love through us’. ‘As Kenyans, we are a people of resilience, song, and strong community. Let us use our voices both in speech and online, not to tear down, but to build up the Body of Christ.’
He added, ‘May our words bring light where there is darkness, joy where there is sorrow, and hope where there is doubt.’ ‘Let us go forth and communicate, not just with our mouths, but with our hearts, our actions, and our faith.’
Pope Paul VI established the WCD in 1967 as an annual celebration to reflect on the opportunities and challenges that modern means of social communication accord the Church to communicate the gospel message to all the ends of the earth
Since then, the Church observes WCD on the Sunday before Pentecost Sunday. Marked this year on 1 June, coinciding with the Solemnity of the Ascension of Jesus Christ, the 59th WCD was realised under the theme, ‘Share with gentleness the hope that is in your hearts’.
BY NICHOLAS WAIGWA
ASSOCIATION FOR CATHOLIC INFORMATION IN AFRICA
PICTURE: Kaboompics.com/Pexels
This article was first published here
