[HCDX] Radio Veritas Myanmar Language Service Marks Silver Anniversary

["Arnaldo" <slaen@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

The Radio Veritas Asia Myanmar language service has celebrated 25 years of 
service to listeners in Myanmar, especially those in remote areas.

About 150 listeners gathered Jan. 11 in Yangon at the headquarters of the 
Catholic Bishops' Conference of Myanmar to mark the occasion.

The previous day, about 200 Catholics participated in an anniversary Mass 
led by Archbishop Charles Bo of Yangon and concelebrated by the other 11 
Myanmar bishops and 19 priests.

In his homily, Archbishop Bo praised Radio Veritas Asia (RVA), based outside 
Manila, for its evangelizing role "amid the plethora of radio stations, TV 
stations, satellite news and websites." Some of these, RVA among them, are 
"good for the people," he said, while "many are harmful and dangerous."

He praised RVA for programs promoting the "spiritual, physical and 
psychological development of people." Its services are invaluable, he added, 
"in remote places where there are no newspapers, priests or catechists."

The archbishop said workers of other Churches and even Buddhist monks 
appreciate and make use of RVA programs in their work for people's welfare.

"RVA is a matchmaker between the loving God and man, who needs God's love," 
Archbishop Bo concluded.

Father Carolus Lariosa, manager of RVA Myanmar service, told UCA News its 
programs focus on evangelization, social and human development, family 
management and financial management. He also spoke of the service's ability 
to reach people in remote areas where there are no priests and missioners. 
In his estimation, 90 percent of its listeners are not Christians.

The service's Mandalay office marked the anniversary Jan. 18 with a Mass led 
by Archbishop Paul Zinghtung Grawng of Mandalay that drew 500 RVA listeners 
and guests. Afterward, a festival of cultural dances, songs and sharing was 
held at St. Thomas Minor Seminary. Mandalay is 580 kilometers north of 
Yangon.

RVA Myanmar Service has been on the air since Nov. 13, 1978. Besides 
broadcasting in the national language, formerly called Burmese, RVA provides 
three other language services for listeners in Myanmar.

The Kachin and Karen services both began in 1982, while a Zomi-Chin language 
broadcast for several tribal groups in India and Myanmar began in 1996.

There are an estimated 600,000 listeners of the Myanmar Service, 300,000 of 
the Karen Service and 200,000 of the Kachin Service.

Meanwhile, the bishops' conference decided during its Jan. 6-11 plenary 
meeting that it will give all money from collections on this year's World 
Communications Day to RVA. The bishops also decided to form a national 
program board for the four RVA language services with listeners in Myanmar.

RVA, operated by the Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences, broadcasts in 
17 languages throughout Asia.(from Union OfCatholic Asian News)

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