by Antonina Zielinska
Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio used the annual Diocesan World Communications Day luncheon to announce his plans to merge diocesan communications efforts into a single entity to be named the DeSales Media Group.
The new company will combine the ministries of The Tablet, NET TV, and the Catholic Television Network along with new media initiatives.
The DeSales Media group will have a strong presence in social networking which can already be seen in the bishop’s Facebook page and online sites for all the diocesan television and print media. In the spirit of combining traditional and new media to reach new audiences, the diocese also introduced NETspañol.
In a promotional video, which was shown during the luncheon, Msgr. Kieran Harrington, vicar for communications, described the new initiative as “a multi-platform endeavor that will reach out to Hispanic Catholics via traditional media and social networking. NETspañol will give a voice and a platform to this community in a way that will help them embrace almighty God.”
The announcements were made June 23 at the luncheon held at the New York Athletic Club in Manhattan.
Pablo Ortiz, a Mexican-American filmmaker, was chosen as the recipient of the diocese’s St. Clair award. He could not personallt attend the event, but sent a taped thank you message from California where he is currently working on “Cristiadas,” a film about Mexico’s struggle to keep the Catholic faith alive during the Mexican revolution.
In the taped message, he said, “I love God. And I got involved in this because, as a loving Father, He gave me an opportunity to come back to Him. And I want to share with everyone that He is alive, He is real.”
The guest speaker at the luncheon was Larry Kudlow, host of CNBC’s “The Kudlow Report” and a contributing writer for many print and digital media. An economist who is not afraid to bring his faith into the workplace with him, Kudlow spoke about his road back to the faith.
“As a Catholic convert, as a recovering alcoholic, I am not proselytizing about my faith,” he said. “But when the moment comes up, I am not bashful.”
Kudlow said at times he speaks of his personal faith and struggles on air. However, he said the real challenge is bringing the Catholic faith into his work ethic.
Part of his experience as a Catholic is being civil to those he works with, the guests on his show and those who have opposing viewpoints. He said that although he may not agree with certain a politician’s viewpoints on economic concerns, he tries to not attack them personally.
Kudlow’s ethical conduct and empowering story, is the reason Sarah Gallick, author of “The Big Book of Women Saints” [HarperCollins], was drawn to attend the World Communication Luncheon.
“I admire the fact that he proves that someone can be a faithful catholic and a serious businessman,” she said.
Gallick said she was also drawn to the luncheon to hear how the church is planning on meeting challenges in the modern communications era. She said the church as an organization and Catholics as individuals are not doing enough to spread the message of God.
“We are partly fearful to communicate the Gospel,” she said. “Our model is Jesus, who preached the gospel and went to the cross for proclaiming the Gospel.”
A forum for Catholic professionals to meet each other outside of the pews of the church is a step in the right direction, she said.