QUEZON CITY, Philippines, SEPT. 14, 2001 (Zenit.org).- In the Philippines, Radio Veritas Asia is associated with local AM broadcasting. But few know about its shortwave radio station.
That station reaches into South and Southeast Asia and the Middle East, as well as Europe, Canada and Australia.
Now, RVA is preparing for Web or net casting this year, so that everyone in the world can log on to an RVA program.
For more than 30 years, RVA has been responding to the Catholic Church´s appeal to bring evangelization to the silent churches in Asia.
“The responsibility of making Jesus Christ known, to a part of the world that barely knows him, is truly immense,” RVA directors said in a message to ZENIT.
“The task seems insurmountable,” the message said. “There is no shortage of creativity, talent and dedication among the RVA management and staff. However, in the real world, materials, logistics and finances are also necessary. [Herein] lies the perennial problem that has beset RVA” from its beginning.
RVA is a nonprofit corporation. Its shortwave radio station stands on land donated by a Catholic family through the Church in the Philippines.
RVA has relied on foreign donations too. But with the fall of the Berlin Wall and the end of the Soviet Union, many European benefactors have sent their money elsewhere, in particular to help newly formed market economies closer to home.
Given the dwindling financial support, RVA turned to Filipinos for assistance with maintenance and operating costs.
Radio is a key method for spreading the Gospel in Asia because many countries here regard the Catholic faith as a threat and ban missionaries.
In response to the financial crisis situation, the Radio Veritas Asia Foundation Inc. was established. Its trustees include Cardinal Jaime Sin of Manila, chairman; Cardinal Ricardo Vidal, co-chairman; Bishop Jesus Cabrera, president; and Archbishop Paciano Aniceto, vice president.
The RVA Foundation was established especially to secure a daily program for overseas contract workers in Asia, such as in China, Hong Kong and the Mideast. Since May, together with RVA, the foundation has published Uplink, a quarterly newsletter for listeners.
