An article written by Broadcast Journalism student Rechilda Mae Estores was featured by the Vatican News as part of its Good Makes Headlines project.
It can be recalled that Vatican News, together with the Dicastery for Culture and Education's Gravissimum Educationis Foundation, recently pledged to feature special reports on faith, the Church and communion prepared by students from Catholic universities in the Philippines and India. DLSU-D was among the institutions that committed to the endeavor.
Estores, who drew inspiration from her experience of wanting to go to church after years of the pandemic, shared that she encountered many difficulties looking for a contact person to interview for her article because of limited physical operations owing to IATF guidelines. However, she felt like it was her responsibility to let the faithful know about the Synod.
“I have decided that it’s my duty to let everyone know about this mission of the church and the need of participation of people in the Synodal consultation to get closer to God. I was inspired to write about it as we have all suffered from the pandemic and this Synodal conversations with the church helps people to restore their faith despite the difficulties we encountered,” she said.
She also credited her professor Rommel Lopez for guiding her in getting more sides to her story to make it more compelling and substantial.
“Overall, I was blessed to write that story with the help of my professor, my class team, the Communications and Journalism Department (CJD), and the Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Parish (OLSHP) church members. I can say that personally, I profess my faith a lot, I really engage with God in heart by listening to podcasts, reading verses, meditating, and listening to worship songs. I have hope and confidence in God even though I am also a sinner just like everyone else but still God used me as His instrument to let that story be published. He has blessed me not just with a story but with knowledge and experience, with the people, and with faith. I wrote that story not just for me but for everyone. I was truly humbled and sincerely grateful for the opportunity that God has given me to write about Him. It was His grace and it was all for His Glory,” she shared.