Members of the RVA Zo Service met with newly appointed RVA General Manager Fr. Felmar Fiel, SVD, during his visit to India from May 29 to June 2, using the opportunity to discuss the future of the service and the challenges facing its ministry.
The meeting took place in Kolkata, the capital of the eastern Indian state of West Bengal, on May 29–30, after the Zo Service was unable to host Fr. Fiel in Manipur, their home state, due to ongoing ethnic violence and instability in the region.
Fr. Mung, coordinator of the RVA Zo Service, along with members of the service, traveled to Kolkata to meet Fr. Fiel together with representatives of the RVA Bengali Service. The Bengali Service facilitated the gathering by arranging accommodation and meeting facilities at Seva Kendra, the pastoral and social service center of the Archdiocese of Kolkata.
The program began with introductions and a felicitation ceremony honoring Fr. Fiel on his recent appointment as general manager of Radio Veritas Asia (RVA). As a sign of respect and welcome, the Zo Service presented him with a traditional Zo waistcoat and muffler.
An interactive session followed, during which participants discussed various aspects of RVA’s mission, current challenges, and future directions. The Zo Service later held a separate meeting with Fr. Fiel to address concerns specific to its ministry, including staffing matters and the impact of the ongoing unrest in Manipur on its operations and audience.
On the second day, participants celebrated the Eucharist at the Mother House of the Missionaries of Charity in Kolkata, the congregation founded by St. Teresa of Calcutta. Fr. Fiel and Fr. Mung concelebrated Mass in the Tomb Chapel, where the saint is buried.
In his homily, Fr. Fiel shared a story about a private visit made by Mother Teresa to RVA in Manila, Philippines. He recalled that she had requested that no publicity be given to the visit and had initially declined to be photographed. According to Fr. Fiel, only one photograph was eventually taken after much persuasion. Today, that image is displayed in the RVA chapel alongside those of St. John Paul II and St. Paul VI.
The gathering provided an opportunity for fellowship, dialogue, and reflection, strengthening the commitment of the RVA Zo Service to continue its mission despite the challenges facing its staff and communities in northeastern India.
Radio Veritas Asia (RVA), a media platform of the Catholic Church, aims to share Christ. RVA started in 1969 as a continental Catholic radio station to serve Asian countries in their respective local language, thus earning the tag “the Voice of Asian Christianity.” Responding to the emerging context, RVA embraced media platforms to connect with the global Asian audience via its 21 language websites and various social media platforms.
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