By Charles Igwe
Kannada has become the 53rd language offered by Vatican Radio – Vatican News, marking a significant step in expanding its global outreach. As of Tuesday, news in Kannada, spoken by millions in India, will be available on the Vatican News web portal. This initiative is a collaboration between the Dicastery for Communication and the Archdiocese of Bangalore in Karnataka, India.
Archbishop Peter Machado of Bangalore expressed his delight at the launch, highlighting the importance of providing news about the Pope, the Vatican, the universal Church, and global events in Kannada. He thanked Pope Francis for his emphasis on synodality and bringing the Church to the peripheries. The Archbishop believes that the local Church in Karnataka will greatly benefit from these articles and future audio/video broadcasts. He emphasized that the Communication Center of the Archdiocese of Bangalore would help bring the universal Church closer to the people.
Dr. Paolo Ruffini, Prefect of the Dicastery for Communication, celebrated the addition of Kannada to Vatican News. He acknowledged the living Catholic community that supports this endeavor, which serves to communicate authentically and honor Kannada culture. He noted the effort involved, quoting a Kannada proverb, “Effort always pays.”
Andrea Tornielli, Editorial Director of Vatican Media, stated that adding Kannada to the 52 existing languages of Vatican Radio – Vatican News reflects their commitment to serving the Bishop of Rome and the universal Church. He emphasized the importance of maintaining communion and sharing in times of global difficulties, uncertainties, wars, and violence.
