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Germany-based Aid Agency Supporting Establishment of Catholic Radio in Mozambique

Logo Radio Maria Mozambique

The Catholic pastoral aid organization, Aid to the Church (ACN) International is fostering evangelization initiatives at the grassroots by providing a financial subsidy toward the establishment of a radio substation in the diocese of Quelimane located in the East-central part of Mozambique, the leadership of the Germany-based agency has announced.

The substation will be an extension of Radio Maria Mozambique, which is a member of the Italy-based World Family of Radio Maria, a Catholic entity that runs Marian radio stations across the world.

“ACN wants to help the evangelization programs offered in this area of first evangelization with a partial contribution to the establishment of the Radio Maria station in Quelimane, which needs to renovate a building for the studio and equipment as well as recruitment and training for broadcasting,” the leadership of  the 73-year-old organization has been quoted as saying.

According to ACN, the Bishop of Quelimane diocese, Hilário da Cruz Massinga is keen on setting up the substation “due to the lack of a Catholic Radio in the diocese to spread the good news of salvation in a language people understand.”

“It is a mostly rural population, which has suffered a lot from Mozambique’s civil war, which left much division,” ACN leadership has said referencing Quelimane area, a small sea port along the Indian Ocean coastline.

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Hope, trust and peaceful co-existence need to be fostered in the area following the civil war and more recently, “very violent terrorist attacks from neighboring Islamist groups,” the leadership of ACN has said, adding that the people of God in the diocese would benefit from well trained staff and prepared volunteers teaching them the word of God from a Catholic perspective.

“The aim is to provide support to families and those wanting to live a life of hope, love and solidarity,” ACN leadership has said, clarifying that in the establishment of the substation, ACN will partner with Tanzania-based Coordinator of Radio Maria Africa, Paolo Taffuri.

Describing the role of Radio Maria stations in Africa amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Mr. Taffuri told ACN, “Since the radio is still the most used medium of communication in Africa, this is where the majority of the Christians search refuge at this time.”

“Radio Maria tries to be even more active and present, despite the impossibility for volunteers and staff to travel, in people’s spiritual daily lives,” he further said and continued, “For many, the radio is the only way to stay in the spiritual life… in contact with the world and the Church.”

Radio Maria Africa runs radio stations in 25 countries on the continent. With a focus on the pastoral, spiritual and human development of audiences, the personnel engaged at the stations produce and facilitate the broadcasting of radio programs that are in line with evangelization values and objectives.

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