“Live the meeting as the moment to truly listen to one another, and including openness, trust and respect for each other” – His Eminence Kevin Joseph Farrell, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Laity, in a message of encouragement to the Delegates of SIGNIS.
Brussels, Belgium – For the first time since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the World Catholic Association for Communication held its Assembly of Delegates, where it presented its institutional and financial reports, introduced its new Delegates and approved its Board of Directors for the 2022-2026 period. The meeting was held in virtual mode on September 13 and 14, 2022.
The agenda for the Assembly included a moment of reflection and an analysis of the current reality, marked by the significant economic upheaval caused by the worldwide pandemic and its challenges for the Association.
On the first day, the Delegates of SIGNIS were introduced to the candidates for the new Board of Directors: a total of six candidates who were nominated for the positions of President, Vice-Presidents, General Treasurer, and Secretary General. In the afternoon, the outgoing BOD, the Secretary General and the SIGNIS Services Rome General Manager presented the activities carried out in 2017-2022, as well as the financial reports.
Before the adjournment, the Delegates dedicated a moment of silence and prayer in memory of the friends and collaborators the Association has lost over the last years.
The second day began with the approval of the new officers, carried out through an online voting platform. Helen Osman, elected for her second term as SIGNIS President, addressed the Assembly, reaffirming her commitment to “build future leadership and ensure SIGNIS not only survives but thrives” and pledging her dedication to further the mission of SIGNIS:
To engage with media professionals and support Catholic Communicators
To help transform our cultures in the light of the Gospel
By promoting Human Dignity, Justice and Reconciliation.
In the afternoon, the new Delegates of SIGNIS were introduced to the Assembly. Seven new members were also welcomed to the Association: Binaural from Portugal, Kfa from the Netherlands, Southworld Magazine from the UK, SIGNIS Uruguay, SIGNIS Colombia, CCPanama SIGNIS, and LiCAS.news.
Later, Dr Nataša Govekar, director of the Department of Pastoral Theology in the Vatican’s Dicastery for Communication, addressed the participants. In her speech, she emphasized that “Servant leaders are needed. The Church desperately needs people who can facilitate community building. People who can promote at all levels a culture of dialogue – yes, we need to build this culture also in the Church! People who understand and take advantage of every opportunity to foster a sense of belonging at international and global level”.
A valuable input was the presentation of the listening sessions held in the summer of 2022 to provide SIGNIS members with the opportunity to participate in the synodal process with the President. A call was made for SIGNIS to increase the opportunities for training of Catholic communicators and include more diversity in its leadership.
The new Delegates of SIGNIS further defined the lines of action that will guide the work of the Association during the next period and approved the budget for 2023-2025. The Assembly concluded with the presentation of possible hosting countries for the next SIGNIS World Congress and the mandate of the new BOD.
SIGNIS Executive Officers 2022-2026:
President: Helen Osman
Vice President: Fr Paul Samasumo
Vice President: María José Centurión
General Treasurer: Emmanuel Bonnet
Secretary General: Dr Peter Rachada Monthienvichienchai