Produced by the “Catholic Communications Solomons”, communication centre of the diocese of Honiara, 1600 copies of the magazine are distributed in three dioceses. That may seem a small number compared with some other better known titles, until you take into account the particular technical difficulties an editor has to overcome in this part of the world and the socio-political events that have taken place in recent years in this country.
The editorial team, led by Fr Ambrose Pereira SDB, the Director of the communication centre in Honiara, manage to put together a handy and simple magazine full of articles and illustrations, that over the years has aroused the interest of its readers and of some organisations. Enrolled in the Australasian Catholic Press Association (ACPA), “Voice Katolika” was praised by the President of the ACPA, Jane Fagotto, during the annual assembly held last September in Auckland (New Zealand), for its special contribution to the series Health and the Environment.
“Voice Katolika” periodically deals with a great variety of issues reporting on events and topics connected with the local, diocesan and worldwide church, health education and the environment and the youth scene. The style is simple and direct, open to all age groups. Some article are written by students on basic journalism courses held at the “Catholic Communications Solomons” centre.
The magazine which usually contains thirty pages is printed in black and white but has a series of colour pictures covering events from different Catholic centres on the four sides of the colour-printed cover, which to demonstrate some of the difficulties involved in producing the magazine is printed by an Australian press.
Fr Pereira is a pioneer in journalism in the Solomon Islands where he arrived in 1999, and was soon given the task of relaunching “Voice Katolika” founded in 1977 but at that time going through a difficult patch.
Fr Pereira gives seminars in communications and media training for lay people, priests, religious and young people; runs Radio Boscom FM89.9, the only community radio transmitter in the Solomon Islands; and looks after a religious bookshop. Last year he became Rector of the Salesian community in Honiara with a technical school, a parish and various other services.
Published 24/01/2008
