The Archdiocese of Singapore has launched «The Catholic Singapore Radio». The project was inaugurated on June 2, which coincided with the World Day of Social Communications, in the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd.
«It is beautiful to go back to spreading the Gospel in the radio environment. Naturally, this is a new concept of radio. It is an online streaming platform on which to channel a stream of podcasts and audio content. It is available through an App and will also be available for web streaming via the Internet through our website www.catholic.sg. We use the term ‘online radio’ because it is easily understood by people,» explained Andre Ahchak, Director of Social Communications in the Archdiocese, to Fides News Agency.
Illustrating the reason for the project, Ahchak stated: «It is a way to reach and bring the proclamation of the Gospel through new technologies. Our current awareness channels range from Catholic news to our social media channels, under the brand «Catholic. sg». We wanted to broaden the horizon and also connect with those who can or loves to listen. We see that the trend of podcasts is becoming increasingly popular especially in the last year. So we asked ourselves: can we share the Gospel of Jesus with listeners? This gave us the impulse to start the radio project».
The available contents include talk shows, interviews, reflections, music. «Listeners can use podcasts at the most appropriate time and place. We would like our content to be easily recognizable for all people, Catholics, and non-Catholics. One of our programs will feature informal chats with respondents who talk about their faith», said Ahchak.
Another podcast, called «Off-The-Pulpit», is designed for those who want to better understand the Church or the challenges that Catholics are asked today, while there will be programs in Mandarin Chinese, in collaboration with the archdiocesan Catholic Apostolate for Mandarin.
Great space will be dedicated to music that will «inspire and bring people to God, both enhancing local talents such as Corrinne May, Chris de Silva, Kenneth Ngo, Joseph Chng, John de Silva, and many others, both thinking about great authors and singers that have told or lived an experience of faith».
The App to listen to «Catholic Singapore Radio» is available for free download on both Google Play and Apple Store.
The population of Singapore is 5.6 million, of whom about 383,000 are Catholics (9 percent of the population).
