Top speakers to grace social media confab

DAGUPAN City, Pangasinan, September 5, 2014—In its mission of bringing Pope Francis’ call for authentic “encounter” to the Filipino faithful, YouthPinoy (YP), the team behind the upcoming Catholic Social Media Summit v3.0 (CSMS v3.0), has invited three respected Catholic speakers who will be sharing their expertise in the field of faith-based social media evangelization.
‘God’s jester’

Michael Angelo Lobrin, a published author, educator, product endorser, TV personality, life coach, and in-demand motivational speaker known for his uncanny humor, will be giving the first session, “Beyond Jesus Posts.”

Michael Angelo Lobrin
He is a staple in many speaking engagements both here and abroad where his expert take on topics and issues ranging from human development, leadership, liturgy, spirituality, financial literacy, and entrepreneurship has been much sought after, even by local politicians.
Lobrin’s book “Laugh with God Today, Unang Ihip” has topped the National Bookstores bestsellers’ list twice, selling a record 150,000 copies nationwide.

Lobrin majored in classical philosophy at the San Carlos Seminary, and taught philosophy and theology briefly at the De La Salle University-Manila, the Entrepreneur Schools of Asia, and St. Paul’s University in Quezon City.
He is the president of LIFE Enrichment Consultancy, vice president for corporate communications and handles marketing for Calata Corporation, and convenor of the Haping Pilipinong Katoliko Movement.
He also hosts the SME Go! TV show on PTV 4.
Modern ‘Renaissance Man’

TV and theater actor. Scriptwriter. Educator. Speaker. Catholic. Bernard Cañaberal is many things to many people.
A veteran media practitioner, he has written radio plays, teleplays, documentaries and film scripts for various organizations which have earned him recognitions, awards and citations from respected award-giving bodies, namely, the Catholic Mass Media Awards, the KBP Golden Dove Awards, and the Film Academy of the Philippines. Cañaberal is also a board member of the Philippine Association forMediaEducation and the current president of Signis Philippines.

Bernard Cañaberal

As educator, he is a visiting professor at the East Asian Pastoral Institute (E.A.P.I.) of the Ateneo de Manila University, and teaches at the graduate school of the Institute of Preaching of the Dominican congregation. He tours the country and the Asian region, giving talks, lectures, and seminars on media production and Media Literacy Education, and team building workshops in many schools and corporations.
As an actor, Cañaberal appeared in countless plays produced by PETA, as well as by the late dear Fr. James B. Reuter.
What many do not know is that his is the voice behind the monstrous “tiyanak” from the 90s horror classic of the same name.
Filipino Fulton Sheen?
Without a doubt, he is the most famous of the three. But more than heading the CBCP, Archbishop Socrates B. Villegas is known for the no non-sense way with which he approaches the sacred ministry entrusted him, employing no less than Facebook at the service of God’s Word.

CBCP president Archbishop Socrates B. Villegas (Photo: CBCP News)
As the face of the Philippine Church hierarchy, Father Soc, as he is fondly called, bravely addresses the various issues confronting the Church and society today like a Filipino Fulton Sheen.

One of the most prolific prelates in recent memory, his pastoral letters on a broad range of topics from the ALS Ice Bucket challenge to pastoral guidelines on the RH Law counsel the faithful, or instruct them on important points of doctrine.
Ahead of many, Villegas has realized the enormous potentials of media evangelization in the country.
His active presence online disproves secular claims that the Church is getting behind the times.
His followers on social media are many and diverse, who look up to him as an online mentor whose inspirational posts give them valuable insights into a life lived in deep faith.

Villegas has also written and published books of homilies and spiritual reflections.
CSMS v3.0

Registration for the event is P800, inclusive of a kit, ID, and meals. A registration of P1,200 per head will include accommodations. For more information, contact Esteve Mata at 0916-2783807; Sher Cuison at (+63)921-4746638, or email, catholicsocialmediasummit@gmail.com.
For more information, visit www.catholicsocialmediasummit.com orwww.youthpinoy.com.
The CSMS v3.0, which will be held at the Pangasinan Training and Development Center, Provincial Capitol grounds in Lingayen, Pangasinan, is the flagship event of YP, a group of online missionaries under the auspices of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines Media Office and the CBCP Episcopal Commission on Youth. (Raymond A. Sebastián)