Enter CAMSEL

This afternoon, at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception will assemble hundreds of persons who have either been associated with our weekly paper in one way or other over the years, or who presently exercise some role in the mission of spreading the good news, of making disciples, of teaching others to observe Jesus’ commands. The majority of these honoured guests of the Catholic News are not writers or weekly columnists but those whose work it is to get this newspaper into the hands of the faithful week after week.

Today, the Archdiocese of Port-of-Spain publicly ushers in a new communications order — Catholic Media Services Ltd (CAMSEL). The establishment of CAMSEL means that Printing Services Ltd (PSL), a company set up in May 1972, and Catholic Communications Studios (CCS) — the archdiocesan print and electronic communications companies respectively — become one enterprise, one media organisation that encompasses parish communications, public relations and information and “new media” (Internet, podcasts, blogs, etc).

The journey of the archdiocese’s communications’ disciples to this mountain, where Jesus had arranged to meet them, has not been smooth or easy. Like the disciples in today’s Gospel (Mt 28:16-20), some hesitated. The Gospel text does not give the detail we know as the Ascension event — Jesus taken away from the sight of his disciples (Acts 1:1-11 — today’s First Reading). This disappearance must at first have caused disconcertion and anxiety, just like the “taking away from sight” of CCS Ltd, Printing Services Ltd and what has hitherto been known as the Archdiocesan Communications Commission (ACC) has caused concern, anxiety and insecurity. The disciples, however are assured that “this same Jesus will come back in the same way as you have seen him go”.

Today Jesus gives us his commission and his assurance: “Know that I am with you always; yes, to the end of time.” The communications work of PSL will continue in the Catholic News, the electronic communications work of CCS will continue and grow in Trinity Communications Network. The work of the different committees of the ACC, particularly in the area of training of parish media teams, media education and working with the secular media, will be strengthened. We acknowledge with deep appreciation all those who served on the ACC in different capacities and who will continue to serve CAMSEL.

We take this opportunity to also publicly acknowledge with gratitude the work of all who served over the years in CCS Ltd — Frs Andrew Allen OP, Peter de la Bastide CSSp and Rudy Mohammed, Wendell Constantine, Michelle Marshall, Srs Diane Jagdeo OP(RIP) and Th?r?se Antoine OP and, most recently Felix Edinborough, Myrna Lezama and Jerome “Jerry” Layne. The last mentioned should really be the first mentioned as “Jerry” worked with CCS from its inception in 1979. There are those whose names are not listed here but who have played a role in CCS. We are thankful for their service to the mission of communications.

On this Ascension Sunday, also the 42nd World Communications Day, we recommit ourselves to building a world of solidarity and social justice and becoming “authentic witnesses to the truth, faithful to Christ’s mandate and enthusiastic for the message of faith” (WCD Message 2008).

Lord, we sometimes have regrets for the Church of the past. We feel like the eleven setting out for Galilee. From time to time we meet that Church again and feel very happy, as they did when they were reunited with Jesus on the mountain. But part of us quite rightly hesitates: we know well that we cannot bring back the past, that we must go in new directions, discovering new disciples among the nations. We need not be afraid: Jesus promised that he will be with us always, even when we come to the end of time.

“Lord, forgive us as a Church for limiting our horizons. Let Jesus speak to us again of the many nations who could be his disciples, people ready to be baptised and to observe all the commands he gave us.”

(From Lectio Divina with the Sunday Gospels — Fr Michel de Verteuil)