Bishop Junie Urges Unity and Love for Mission as RVA Coordinators Gather for Workshop in Philippines

Bishop Marcelino Antonio “Junie” Maralit Jr. urged Radio Veritas Asia (RVA) language-service coordinators to put love, communion and a shared missionary vision at the heart of their communication ministry during a half-day retreat on Oct. 6 at the Sisters of Mary, Girlstown campus in Silang, Cavite.

The retreat was part of a four-day workshop organized by RVA for coordinators from across Asia, including 10 language-service coordinators from Myanmar, four from India, one from Bangladesh, one from Thailand, one from Cambodia, one from Vietnam, one from Sri Lanka and one from China.

Bishop Junie, chairman of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (FABC) Office of Social Communication and bishop of San Pablo, reminded the participants that they are disciples before they are broadcasters, producers or communicators.

Reflecting on Christ’s call, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men,” he encouraged the coordinators to see their work not simply as a professional responsibility but as a missionary vocation.

He cautioned against allowing communication ministry to become routine, focused mainly on translating, broadcasting, posting, meeting deadlines and responding to digital algorithms. Instead, he challenged the participants to look beyond views, followers and engagement and ask: “How much love did I put into my work?”

For Bishop Junie, changes in technology, digital platforms and audience habits should not distract RVA from its central mission of communicating Christ and the Gospel.

He said RVA needs not simply more content but credible Christian witness that creates spaces for encounter, listening, communion and hope.

The bishop also called on the language services to give greater attention to people whose voices often remain unheard, including migrants, refugees, indigenous communities, the poor and other marginalized groups.

He challenged RVA to become “a voice for those who are voiceless,” encouraging the coordinators to understand communication as a means of bringing people into greater communion.

Emphasizing “communion before mission,” Bishop Junie called the language services to move beyond individual efforts and work toward a shared missionary vision for RVA across Asia.

Using the Emmaus pastoral method — Walk, Ask, Listen, Interpret, Break Bread and Send — he described listening as a spiritual act and encouraged RVA to become a “communion of missionary voices.”

He concluded the retreat by asking the coordinators three questions: “Whom are we not listening to? What are we not hearing? What can we do together that we cannot do alone?”

The four-day workshop held from Oct 5 to 8 brought together RVA coordinators for reflection and discussions on missionary identity, digital transformation, sustainability and collaboration in Catholic media.

The workshop was organized under the leadership of Fr. Felmar Fiel, SVD, RVA general manager, and Fr. John Mi Shen, RVA program director. Mr. Shirly Benedicto, secretary of the RVA Department of Programs, coordinated the workshop.

Sessions during the workshop were facilitated by Michael Unland and Frank Craus, representing the funding agencies supporting RVA’s mission.

The gathering provided an opportunity for RVA’s language-service coordinators from different parts of Asia to strengthen collaboration, share experiences and reflect together on the future of Catholic media mission in the region.