Ahead of WCD 2025, Archbishop in Kenya Urges Catholic Media Professionals to Promote Dialogue, Inspire Hope

The message of Christ, he continued, “should reach those in conflict, in places without peace, places suffering from hunger, drought, and hardship.”

“It should also bring us hope, because we cannot remain in sadness forever,” he said, highlighting that media professionals have "a unique opportunity to build bridges, foster mutual understanding, and, above all, share the message of the Church."

Archbishop Kivuva who has been at the helm of Mombasa Archdiocese since February 2015 emphasized that the media should “help reconcile people and encourage them not to wander aimlessly as sheep without a shepherd.”

“Let us share the hope in our hearts,” he said in reference to the late Pope Francis’ theme for the 2025 World Social Communications Day: “Share with gentleness the hope that is in your hearts.”

Each year, he explained, “the Catholic Church celebrates this important day as a remembrance of the time when the Church was sent out to proclaim itself. It is celebrated near the Feast of Pentecost to remind us that the Holy Spirit sends each of us out to spread the Good News.”

In the video message, Archbishop Kivuva also invites the people of God in Kenya to support Catholic media entities, saying, “We are also reminded to contribute to those who need our financial support to spread this message through radio, social media, church newspapers, or whatever channel we see as suitable.”

“Wherever you are, find a way to contribute financially, because money is needed, to pay for broadcast frequencies, to support those doing this work,” he said, and added, “Ask where you can give to support your Church, so that this message reaches people through our churches, small Christian communities, and various groups that give us this opportunity.”

Catholic media entities in the Archdiocese of Nairobi (ADN) have organized celebrations at St. Patrick’s Thika Catholic Parish of ADN for the annual event, which has been observed on the Sunday before Pentecost since Pope Paul VI established it in 1967. Thus, this year's WCD, also known as the World Day of Social Communications, is the 59th.

The 17 media entities in ADN expected to participate in the Sunday, June 1 event include the Paulines Publications Africa, the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops Communications (KCCB), the National Mirror, the Archdiocese of Nairobi, the New People Media Centre, the Messenger of Mary Immaculate, and Radio Maria Nairobi.

Others are Bayard Publications, the Communications Network for Catholic Sisters the Bosco Eastern Africa Multimedia Services (BEAMS), the Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa(AMECEA), The Seed magazine, Loyola Center for Media and Communications, Radio Waumini, Capuchin TV, the Commission for Social Communication of Kenya's Military Ordinariate, and the Association for Catholic Information in Africa (ACI Africa).