Communication and Communion in Religious Life

Challenges and Prospects of Religious Life in an Era of Communication Revolution

Abstract

The world of communications has travelled a long distance from Chavara’s rudimentary press at Mannanam to the app of the liturgical calendar on your smartphone. The author explores communication and communion in religious life and reflects on the challenges and prospects of religious life in an era of communication revolution. A good religious is a good communicator. However, the ‘media-religious’ encounter and experience modern phenomenon. Cultured communication technologies are at the service of the community and since it is a powerful tool for evangelization, the Church calls for an active engagement of the media through spiritual network and worship-space. However, the encounter is full of challenges such as culture of instant gratification, culture of graphics, culture of uncentered pluralism, culture of individualism and culture of virtual reality. The study also explores some special issues for deeper reflection such as the old mind-set and new technologies of communication, the loss and gain of enclosures and the vows in the light of the cultured communication technologies. The study concludes with a call to pause, look, reflect, act and to address the existential challenges of life and mission, now!