Vatican Radio’s English Service for South Asia Completes 55 Years!
The Vatican Radio started its English broadcast for South Asia in 1958, with a weekly
10-minute news transmission. Jesuit Father Thomas O’Donnell was its first Director
and the broadcast was specially made for India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. In 1964
South Asia got a boost when Pope Paul VI visited Bombay, India for the World Eucharistic
Congress from 2nd to 5th of December. Consequently, in 1965
the Indian section began a 10-minute evening broadcast in English,Hindi, Tamil and
Malayalam. Seventeen years later, in 1982 these evening broadcasts were repeated the
following morning. By 1975 the English service had become the most significant for
Vatican Radio, next to the Italian transmission. The English service for South Asia
had also grown in proportion.
In 1986 Pope John Paul II visited India from
January 31 to February 02. In preparation for his visit, English along with Hindi,
Tamil and Malayalam were given extra time of transmission. Starting from 7th
January 1986 the English Section began broadcasting 15 minutes of feature programme
every morning. The evening programme consisted of six minutes of news only. By the
end of 1986, the evening six minutes news increased to ten minutes and was repeated
the following morning. From March 25, 1990, the English programme of 15 minutes was
re-broadcast the following morning. From September 23, 1993, the English section has
been transmitting 20 minutes of programs daily, repeating the evening programme the
following morning.
Apart from the daily programmes there is also a live broadcast
of the Holy Mass in English on Friday and Saturday. It is meant for those who do not
have a chance to go for Mass on Sunday, such as those in the Middle East. The Friday
Mass is transmitted in the afternoon, while on Saturday Mass is broadcast in the evening.
The Sunday reflections on the liturgy and the News are aired only on Sunday morning.
The 80 year jubilee of Vatican Radio witnesses the English service for South
Asia broadcasting daily afternoon for 20 minutes, with a replica each morning. The
weekly reflection on Sunday’s Liturgy is enriched by a weekly programme on scripture,
on Faith and Morals, and a Sunday programme entitled “Focus on the Church”. Other
features are the “Rights and Wrongs” highlighting human rights issues, the “Come &
See” feature illuminating happenings in daily life, and “The Backgrounder”, providing
an extensive study of the problems of regions. Today the English section broadcasts
daily. Its Monday to Saturday news transmission focuses on papal events with particular
emphasis on the Church in India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Myanmar. On
Sunday evening the section presents the programme, Focus on the Church along with
a short UN program on humanitarian issues.
The Wednesday General Audience of
the Pope gets full coverage, providing the listeners the voice of the Holy Father
and his Apostolic Blessing. Sunday Angelus and other important liturgical celebrations
get coverage too. Vatican Radio also follows the Pope on his pastoral visits abroad
and brings to its audience a complete coverage of his activities.
In 2008 the
English service for South Asia completed its Golden Jubilee (50 years) and is now
looking forward to its Diamond Jubilee in 2018. In the past more than fifty years
of its memorable service efforts have been undertaken to reach out to a wider audience.
The English section has been focussing on the regional needs and provides them with
the message of the Pope and his teachings. The News items are posted along with other
outstanding features daily on the web. Monthly news bulletins are despatched, containing
news and features. The English for Asia section is doing its best to meet this challenge
of making the voice of the Pope heard, understood and appreciated by the people of
South Asia. To achieve this end, we entrust ourselves in the hand of God. We count
on the intercession of our Blessed Mother and also the patron of Vatican Radio, Archangel
Gabriel.