The long-awaited dream of starting a media centre came true in July 2021, when Fr. Jebamalai Irudayaraj SJ, the first Provincial of the Chennai Province, formally blessed and inaugurated the centre in the Viscom Block of Loyola College campus, Chennai. Fr. A. Irudayaraj, communication commission coordinator, welcomed the gathering and recalled how the new Provincial sowed the seed of establishing the media centre, in his homily of the Thanksgiving Mass celebrated at the time of inception of the new Province. He added, “A muster seed is sown which will grow as a big banyan tree in the future”. Fr. Francis P Xavier – Rector of Loyola College, released five posters which serve as a tool to implement PAPs in the Province. He also released a monthly news magazine titled Valari, which brings out a series of in-depth articles on media-related issues. Explaining the functions of JEMCEN, Fr. A. Irudayaraj said that it is conceived as a resource, research, training, production, publication and documentation center.
Prof. Alex Parimalam briefly explained about the need assessment of different commissions in the Province. Based on the interactions with the commission coordinators, they would prioritise the activities and give a final report to the JEMCEN director. Fr. Provincial in his felicitation, thanked and appreciated the initiatives of Fr. A. Irudayaraj and his team. He also underlined the fact that the media centre should play the role of meaningful intervention into secular media, lobbying with the secular world and networking with other like-minded groups. Fr. Justin Prabhu SJ, proposed a vote of thanks.
A Scripture Professor and a veteran formator, the author is currently the South Asian Assistancy Delegate for Formation.
