Feb 2, 2017: Sadbhawna Communications Jhabua in collaboration with SIGNIS M.P. organized a daylong seminar-cum-workshop on “Social Media and Families: its effects, repercussions and utilities in modern life,” on 29 January, 2017 at the Catholic Mission School Jhauba. The programme was attended by 180 participants including 61 couples.
Fr. Rockey Shah, Director Sadbhawna Communications welcomed the participants and introduced the modality of the seminar, after a well animated prayer service by the Cathedral Parish youth. The panelists for the day, comprising a lawyer, a teacher social worker, a college student, and a committed Catholic couple were felicitated with a shawl and a souvenir. Following this, Fr. Shah made a brief audio-visual presentation on “Media: history, its present role, utilities and future possibilities.” He stressed, “the necessity and effects of media, especially of social media in particular on families in the modern context is a reality that cannot be ignored.”
The panelists then addressed the participants and shared their personal experiences about the influence of Social Media on families. Mrs. & Mr. James Paul, a school teacher and an accountant respectively, shared the various influences of social media in their family in regard to the fields of education, entertainment and other family matters. Teacher-cum-social worker Ms. Abha Tomar, shared the challenges of social media and its impact on families within our present context. Ms. Nivedita Saxena, member of the Jhabua Juvenile Justice Board expressed her concerns regarding the struggle of children involved in socially delinquent behaviours, stressing the responsibility and the need to counsel them in these days of great social media impact. Badal Damor, a third year B.Com student of P.G College Jhabua emphasised, “that being a young person is not just a simple rotation of different jobs, different subjects, different possibilities and different ambitions. These are now being fulfilled by the social media which is a very addictive and highly influential aspects on relationships and family life. It is essential to understand the expressions, experiences, and guided time management.”
The post-lunch session was an interactive question-answer clarification session with all the participants in five groups to discuss on the three questions:
Q.1 Does social media influence people to proceed for more inter-caste marriages?
Q.2 Many Catholic youngsters are opting for nuclear families. Is this an effect of the high usage of social media?
Q.3 Social Media influences progressiveness of the Roman Catholic Church or is it forcing it to regress?
Thereafter, Fr. Stephen V. T., Principal of the New Catholic English Medium School celebrated the Eucharist for all couples present, reflecting on the virtues of faith, trust and self-sacrifice as essential aspects of Catholic family life. The day ended with tea and ‘Vote of Thanks’ by Fr Rockey Shah appreciating the youth and thanking the participants expressing his special gratitude to all the couples, hoping that this seminar-cum-workshop will enable better family living in the present context of influential social media.
