As CPPS Communications Coordinator, my main mission is to encourage the CPPS Units Communicators to work as a team and animate them to create a community of communicators that have a common goal: make the Congregation be further known so that the message that the Founder and the saints of the Congregation have wanted to convey to the entire world is understood and welcomed in the thousand languages Saint Gaspar wished to use to really communicate the power of the Blood of Christ. For me, this is a challenging task but I know I am not alone.

When the General Curia decided to hire a Communications Coordinator in 2024 and I was recruited for the job, a Communications Office was concurrently created. The office includes 3 people: Br. Juan Acuña, the Secretary General of the Congregation, Fr. Chesco Msaga, General Counselor, and myself. Ever since we started working, much has been done: the network of Units Communicators is increasingly being strengthened thanks to the collaboration efforts of all the Communicators; more frequent exchange of information is insured between the different Units; a monthly meeting is held to talk about common ideas, strategies, challenges and problem-solving; an in-person workshop was held in Rome, right after Don Giovanni Merlini’s beatification that the Communicators covered as “reporters”. One of the main issues identified during the workshop was that more training is needed. In this regard, the General Curia invited me, in my capacity as Communications Coordinator, to attend an International Conference organized by the Dicastery for Communications held in Rome, January 27-29. Much was said and experienced during this 3-day Conference but some of the highlights are as follows:

– A private Papal Audience was the kick-off of the Conference. We were able to access the Apostolic Palace and here the Holy Father talk about networks and communication. And we were able to approach him and hold his hand. Of course, I mentioned the CPPS and he smiled at me!

– Lectures were given by prominent speakers of the world of communications and lots of information was generously shared by them.

– The Group work was the most interesting part of the Conference. The groups were language groups and were made up by Dioceses leaders, Religious Congregations representatives, and experts in communication. Of course, as I did with the Pope I talked about the CPPS, the cry of the blood, the reconciliation approach of the Congregation, and the work at the margins of society.

– I was able to make connections with people from around the world and exchange ideas, opinions and concerns.

– Many people including bishops, religious men and women, and lay people from around the world, even the Pope, heard about the CPPS Missionaries and the Precious Blood Family.

– The Dicastery for communications wants to establish a network as a result of this International Conference and for sure more promising things will come out from this for the good of the Congregation and the Church.

To sum up, the position generously entrusted to me by the General Curia is an honor but also a responsibility. I am confident that the efforts that we, as a Communicators Community, undertake will be fruitful for the entire Congregation. I know that not all is perfect in what we do, even that errors can be made; I am fully convinced that little comes from working in silos; as a group, in a collaborative shared manner we are able to reach out many more people. Our job as Catholic Communicators is to spread a message of love, hope and reconciliation. Let’s do it with confidence and courage.