First Catholic radio goes on air in Pakistan

KARACHI, Nov 28, 2014–With the aim of spreading the Gospel via air, the Archdiocese of Karachi has launched the first Catholic radio in Pakistan – Good News Radio.

Archbishop Joseph Coutts of Karachi, president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Pakistan, inaugurated the radio project on November 22 at the St. Patrick’s high school in Karachi in the presence of more than a thousand faithful.

Father Arthur Charles, Secretary of the Commission for Social Communications of the Pakistani Bishops, conceived the project.
Priests, religious and laity will collaborate in the transmissions. A group of seven volunteers provides six hours of original content, live every day.

“One can use mass media to evangelize. The radio will be a tool to enrich the lives of the listeners in our country. We thought that, with the advent of broadband internet, the radio would be one of the online media to use. It provides opportunities that are not found elsewhere,” Father Charles said.

“In this way the Lord uses us for His Kingdom. If we cannot go to difficult or remote areas to preach the message of Jesus, we bring the gospel everywhere with the radio and other mass media. It is just like planting a seed” he added.

Good News Radio will be more than just “talk radio”, it will explain the Church’s teaching, comment social issues, global events, current events, but will also propose theology and apologetics.

Archbishop Joseph Coutts commented, “We give thanks to God, and we put the radio project in his hands. We hope that people across the country receive a message of hope to improve their lives according to the values of peace, love and harmony.” (UCAN/Agenzia Fides)