East Asian Catholic Communicators Join EWTN Summer Academy in Rome

Catholic communicators from East Asia joined young media professionals from around the world for the EWTN Summer Academy held from June 22 to July 2, 2026, at the Centro Internazionale di Animazione Missionaria in Vatican City.

The 10-day program brought together 40 participants selected from hundreds of applicants for formation in journalism, television production, digital media, and Catholic evangelization. Among them were five communicators from the Philippines and Vietnam, who reflected on the experience as an opportunity to strengthen their professional skills and deepen their commitment to serving the Church through media.

Nguyen Huu Chien of Vietnam, currently pursuing graduate studies in communication in Poland, said representing the Vietnamese Church at the academy was both an honor and a responsibility.

“As a representative of Asia, and especially of the Vietnamese Church, where only about 10 percent of the population is Catholic, I am very happy and proud to be part of the EWTN Summer Academy,” Chien told Radio Veritas Asia.

He said the program helped him experience the universality of the Church by meeting participants from different cultures and backgrounds.

Chien also shared the story of the Church in Vietnam, highlighting the challenges faced by Catholics and their continued witness of faith. One of his memorable moments was seeing an image of Our Lady of La Vang, the patroness of Vietnamese Catholics, displayed with St. Peter’s Basilica in the background.

“That was when I truly felt, even though I was far away, surrounded by newly made friends, I was at home,” he said.

Kathlynne Janice “Kat” Diaz of TV Maria Philippines said the program renewed her understanding of the vocation of Catholic communicators.

“The academy was more than professional training—it became a source of spiritual grace,” Diaz told Radio Veritas Asia. “Daily Mass and the Sacrament of Reconciliation restored my spiritual strength and renewed my readiness to embrace the mission entrusted to me.”

She said the experience reaffirmed that Catholic media exists to serve God and reach people through meaningful communication.

The academy also fostered connections among participants from different countries, who shared a common mission of proclaiming the Gospel through media.

“We came from different cultures and nationalities, but when we are united by a shared mission, anything becomes possible,” Diaz said.

Through professional training, spiritual formation, and collaboration, the EWTN Summer Academy aims to prepare a new generation of Catholic communicators to share the Gospel through truthful, creative, and responsible media.