Communication Scholars Conduct Seminar on “Fact-Checking Religious Topics” for Clergy and Parish Educators of the Diocese of Gospić-Senj

According to Lika Online, the seminar titled “Fact-Checking Religious Topics” was recently held at the Pastoral Centre in Lički Osik for priests, catechists, and parish collaborators of the Diocese of Gospić-Senj. The seminar was organized in cooperation between the Diocese and the University Department of Communication Studies at the Catholic University of Croatia, as part of the project KAT – Critical Analysis of Disinformation on Religious Topics.

The event opened with a welcome by Bishop Marko Medo, followed by a series of lectures from faculty members of the Catholic University of Croatia.

Assoc. Prof. Snježana Mališa, PhD, highlighted the importance of lifelong learning as a key aspect of spiritual formation. She introduced the concepts of the “scarcity mentality” and the “abundance mentality” and their role in the spread of disinformation. She emphasized that a scarcity mindset fosters fear and information hoarding, while an abundance mindset opens space for joy and true receptiveness to God’s gift of a life in abundance.

Assoc. Prof. Lana Ciboci Perša, PhD, presented an overview of the KAT project and the characteristics of disinformation in the media. She noted the growing distrust in new media due to an increasing number of misleading and manipulative media contents. Drawing on examples ranging from ancient Rome to modern deepfakes, she underlined the importance of media literacy and competence development, regardless of one’s age or profession.

Asst. Prof. Suzana Peran, PhD, discussed examples of disinformation about the Catholic Church in the media, ranging from subtle spin to open attacks on the reputation of individual Church authorities. She echoed Pope Francis’ warning that even slight distortions of the truth can cause great harm, highlighting disinformation as one of the four sins of journalism.
 

The final, interactive session was led by Hana Kilijan, MA in Communication, who addressed the challenges of reporting on religious events in local parishes. She stressed the importance of accuracy, impartiality, and timeliness in shaping news for various channels, from parish websites to media portals. She recommended the use of the 5W+H model and inverted pyramid structure to ensure that news remains truthful, timely, and balanced, and encouraged greater lay involvement in producing content for parish and diocesan websites.