You might have noticed it already. For more than a week now, the LiCAS.news logo has turned black.
Yes, we’re mourning. We’re mourning the death of a colleague from the Philippines, veteran journalist Melo Acuña, who succumbed to the coronavirus disease on August 27.
We are also mourning for the 4.5 million people who perished due to the pandemic in the past one-and-a-half year, and the 219 million others who were infected and who continue to battle the sickness.
LiCAS.news, as a social communication arm of the Catholic Church, however, believes that despite the seeming hopelessness and despair, the challenges and trials that we encounter daily, we are called to provide hope and inspiration — light for the faithful in the midst of darkness.
While many media and communication platforms focus on stories that win clicks and boost revenue, we in LiCAS.news are adopting a mission, that is, to write with “caritas” and share the Good News, especially when church people — priests, religious, and lay — provide solutions and support, and hope, for those who are most in need.
When there are inequalities and injustices, we do our best to stand to the call to amplify the voice of those who are suffering and neglected, especially those living on the fringes of society, with responsibility.
Our mission is clear: To highlight the challenges of those living on the fringe of society in Asia and around the world, as well as the work of the Church to reach out and support these people.
We are unashamedly Catholic and our writings reflect our Catholic values and faith. Yet, we strive that our coverage will be for the interest of all our readers, including those of other faiths.
As we say, “We shine the spotlight in the darkness of the disadvantaged and neglected. We are there to give voice to the voiceless.”