Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
RVA Karen
Banmaw (Fides News Agency) – In remote areas, among refugees who have fled towns and villages due to the conflict, in communities scarred by the wounds of civil war and insecurity, one voice continues to offer hope and strengthen faith: the voice of “Radio Veritas Asia” (RVA), which broadcasts in various local languages in Myanmar and represents a point of reference for the faithful of different dioceses and ethnic groups. Catholic communities in Myanmar celebrated “Radio Veritas Day” on Sunday, May 17, recognizing RVA’s importance in spreading the Gospel through radio and digital media.
In the far north of Myanmar, in Kachin State, over 500 Catholics gathered at a camp for internally displaced persons in the Diocese of Banmaw to observe RVA Day in Kachin. The Bishop of Banmaw, Raymond Sumlut Gam, emphasized that Radio Veritas Asia's primary mission is "to proclaim the Gospel." Referring to the passage from the Gospel of Matthew (10:27): "What I say to you in the darkness, speak in the light; what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops," the bishop explained that "this is precisely RVA's mission" and invited the faithful to participate in this mission. "RVA is a communication tool that spreads the truth. We participate, we donate, and we pray for the people who work there," said the bishop, who recalled the history of RVA Kachin, which began in 1982 and continues to "provide spiritual encouragement to many faithful in their trials."
Also in Kachin State, 250 faithful, catechists, and listeners of Radio Veritas gathered in Rawang to celebrate the eighth anniversary of the program that broadcasts the Gospel in their language. At St. Joseph's Church in the Diocese of Myitkyina, Father Mark Kyi Moe expressed his joy and pride that RVA in Rawang is a valuable instrument for spreading the Gospel among the Rawang tribes, broadcasting content such as religious news, general cultural information, and prayers.
Further south, in the Diocese of Pathein, the Karen ethnic community, which operates an RVA station broadcasting in their language, celebrated RVA Day on May 17. During a Eucharistic celebration, Bishop Henry Eikhlein of Pathein remarked, "RVA Day offers an opportunity to acknowledge the ministry of proclaiming the Gospel." “This witness,” he continued, “springs from the faith in the risen Christ, as taught by Saint Paul, Saint Peter, and other saints who courageously bore witness to him throughout the world.” These apostles, he continued, are a model for the faithful of Burma, who live amidst hardship and in a context of uncertainty and suffering, where “the words of hope disseminated by RVA help to strengthen and deepen our faith day by day.”
“It is important,” he concluded, “that the Karen people continue to bear witness to their faith through their mother tongue.” He pointed out that Radio Veritas’s Karen station was established in 1982 and, thanks to the dedication of priests and nuns who devote themselves daily to this apostolate, broadcasting the Pope’s messages and programs on church history in Karen, has been an important point of reference for the local community ever since. The general broadcasts of Radio Veritas Asia, headquartered in Manila, began in 1969 at the initiative of the Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences (FABC). The language service dedicated to Myanmar began in 1978, with the Burmese language, followed by broadcasts in other languages within the nation, dedicated to the faithful of ethnic minorities. (PA) (Fides News Agency, 20/5/2026)
