CLARETIAN PUBLISHERS’ TRIENNIAL ENCOUNTER BENGALURU, INDIA 2018 – DAY 5

FEBRUARY 10-17

Day 5

14.02.2018

In the morning participants joined the Claretian Seminary community for the Ash Wednesday liturgy.

I Session

Fr. Henry began with prayer reading Mk 6-6ff. Jesus sends the disciples and they return to him to give reports. Reporting to the Lord who has entrusted us with this work, accounting and management of what we do, in its entirety, is important in our ministry.

We continued to listen to the stories of publishing houses regarding their successes, dreams and challenges.

For the discussion, the following points were suggested in this context:

• Collaboration in printing and marketing
• Archiving bible diaries of all publishing houses in common place (for posterity)

Fr. Rossa introduced to the participants the website bibleclaret.org and some other biblical materials he has prepared for the bible ministry.

Session II

Group discussion III

The participants spent time discussing in groups the questions relevant to future plans actions.

1. Share your online experiments
2. Sale promotion

All free online, no sale; Social media (FB,), Web site, paid advertisements in Catholic magazines, journals, along with the products, customized for specific audiences, stalls for big events, physical selling,

1. Platform: Facebook, Instagram, APP, Twitter, E- books, You tube, Radio advertisement
2. Challenges: Start doing something, new initiatives and creativity, uncertainty between printing and going digital (for economic reasons etc.), lack of experience, language difficulties, lack of internet facilities
3. Plans: venture into online not only to sell to enlarge horizon, To get in touch with Adolf Dias and use his materials, start publication and social media, A platform Claret media 8, teams with IT person, one Claretian for quality control, Editor. Bring PBF, publishing house under it. Place: Payment – contribution who is able to make: persons: is the task. One difficulty is plurality of languages.
4. Online Evangelization experiences
5. Platforms: Partnership with other online publishing houses, e.g. Canção Nova in Brazil, who has super structures for online services like live transmissions, biblical animations, talks classes etc.), audio books, content of the Bible, daily scripture reading etc. U.S. Catholic is online, use of Facebook, YouTube
6. Challenges – finance, expertise, lack of infrastructure, lack of training and new to ministry
7. Plans: There is enthusiasm, to launch a new team (Claret Media 8)

 

3. Online common materials can be shared:

Audio books, content of Amigos of Jesus (art work), art work of Bible diaries, Biblical articles of USC, Bible comics, French materials

4. How to cash online popularity?

E.g. promote a book along with lottery (like a pyramid lottery), awaken emotion (autographed by the author to make personal comment like (3 sharing, tag to three people, legible for draw). This is a way of online promotion and it needs follow up.

5. Suggestions for common program

Common web page, A person to manage the website, create common platform, connect to IBF, technical training in media use.

Session III

Fr. Fernando Torres addressed the conference via skype from Spain. He talked on the economic sustainability in the publishing ministry based on his own experience. His paper dealt with following points:

• Overview of rapid change in the printing and distribution domain
• Profitability of our publishing houses
• Companies with clear account
• Companies with employees
• Editorials with ideas
• Evangelizing companies

Session IV

Group discussion IV

Group discussion based on the Paper presented by Fr. Fernando Torres

1. The World in constant rapid change

• Jump from offset printing – Digital printing which is fast and cost effective
• First, the book is distributed as an e-book, taste market, if it moves well it is printed. Until then no cost is involved by either party.
• We all are affected by this. Therefore, those already in publishing and those entering new into this territory need to familiarize with it and make use of it.

2. Our publishing must be profitable

• Evangelization is fundamental. Commercialization of publication is consequential.
• We need minimum fund. “If we know where we are going, the world will let us pass’ is the approach. Loss making houses need to rethink strategy and revise approaches according to the times and context.
• It also speaks of the need to be professional and the attitudes from the province looking up to it as income generating activity, at the same time the total transparency from the publication is vital.
• The process of making economic decision should be proper, with consultation and discussion.

3. Companies with clear accounts

• Accounting is given proper importance in our publishing houses and use up-to-date programs

4. Companies with employees

• Proper contracts are necessary which are not done in certain cases
• Employees manual which contain every aspect of the employees (legal, practical, ethical etc.) is to come into effect

5. Editorial with ideas

• Editorial board (as in the Directory) deciding on the matter of publishing.
• In the context of completion and copying of ideas, need to be innovative. So constant self-evaluation to reinvent ourselves will bring new ideas.
• New ideas will sustain us in our publishing ministry and making us going forth.
• Collaboration and mutual support has to be a great idea to go forward successfully.
• Role of a focus group (to assess the functionality of the publication in every way)

6. Evangelizing companies

• Strike a balance between evangelizing and the profit/sustainability
• The vision of the province regarding the publishing ministry should be guiding light.

The day ended with the Evening Prayer led by Fr. Marcellinus, West Nigeria.