Munich, media alliance ” “

An innovative communication system with a news service circulating on a single platform addressed to local faithful, to become a point of reference for national German Church, and not only. It’s the MKN portal – Münchner Kirchennachrichten – from the archdiocese of Munich- Freising: the news desks of the magazine, of the radio, TV and website are represented by the Sankt Michaelsbund initiative, a sort of journalist umbrella body, a rapid mode of channelling the news with a simple language. Massimo Lavena interviewed for SIR Europe Stefan Ess, theologian and journalist, manager of the editorial structure. It is widely believed that the Sankt Michaelsbund initiative is a groundbreaking experience in Europe. What are the peculiarities of your work? “Since February 2012 we have changed the working modalities of our editorial offices; instead of separate productions through various channels – press, radio TV and online – we have decided to work via various media. Our purpose is to do the utmost to convey the content of our information service to others, to the faithful of the archdiocese of Munich and Freising and all of Bavaria. In the portal Münchner Kirchennachrichten (MKN) every day we publish online on the same platform the news of all four Santk Michaelsbund news desks”. In concrete terms, how does the day proceed? “Every morning the editors meet to discuss the main issues, identifying the best ways to convey the news items according to the various media channels. In the contributions we invite the readers, radio and TV audience to engage in dialogue, thus prompting their participation in the life of our Church. The articles published on MKN are provided by the press department, which has been publishing ‘Münchner Kirchenzeitung’ for over 100 years. The Weekly brings together the Catholics of our archdiocese. From the radio recorded podcasts released by Münchner Kirchenradio are transmitted to MKN along with the news broadcast of various private radios in the district of Munich and across Bavaria. The TV news desk integrates the newscast with video footage. The online weekly and radio news and articles are channelled to MKN and our users thus have one sole portal to refer to”. To what extent does the necessary professionalism of the news offices interfere with the volunteer work of the “periphery”? “Our Santk Michaelsbund editors are usually highly trained Catholic journalists. Many of them did their apprenticeship in renowned German journalistic schools and at the Munich’s Institute for journalism. The activity enjoys contributions from volunteers in the archdiocese such as parish priests’ letters, printed information on the Eucharistic services, news bulletins of associations and parishes and their websites. We also proudly convey our journalistic professional know-how for refresher and training courses. And we also support an exchange of information between volunteers active in the parishes with days dedicated to the media in the archdiocese. Those who make the Church concrete at local level, with high-level media proposals, are a true treasure of our ecclesiastic media commitment and should be promoted and encouraged”. What is the thrust of being the “loudspeakers” of the activities of the Bavarian, German, and world Church in a nation where ecumenical encounter is so strong, also with a view the 500th anniversary of Luther’s Reformation?”There is no need to be a ‘diffusor’ to be listened to. There is ongoing dialogue with the evangelicals and media officers. I was born in Asburg, Bavaria, where in 1530 was presented the ‘Confessio Augustana’ and where ecumenism is something that is taken for granted. Since I was a child I experienced fruitful coexistence between Catholics and evangelicals. With those who cooperate with Santk Michaelsbund and with the Catholic media, in Germany there obviously are present evangelical media. Our partner is EPV, the evangelical press association of Bavaria. We cooperate in radio and TV sectors. EPV takes part in the ecumenical TV magazine, ‘Kirche in Bayern’ (Church in Bavaria), broadcast each Sunday on a private Bavarian network. We are united in the thrust to produce and spread high profile media content in terms of quality and content. As relates to the 500th anniversary of the Reformation, due to be celebrated in 2017, most of the preparations are being taken care of by the evangelicals. As Catholics we will certainly have many opportunities to take part in a thematic meeting on the Reformation, although for me it involves a certain degree of sadness for the fact that a reformation urgently needed by the Catholic Church has brought about a Reformation that still today continues dividing the Church. That’s why, at least for me, there won’t be great reasons to celebrate this anniversary”.