Voices from Asia with a Catholic perspective

Jesus birth is attended by various pointers to its significance and meaning for redemption and God’s fidelity to his plan to redeem the human race. One of those concerns Elijah and misrule in pointing to the meaning and significance of the coming of Jesus. But, in the mind of the Evangelists, the Elijah pointing to Jesus is John the Baptist and the people rejected him and Jesus has been rejected, neglected and overlooked.

Repentance, prayer, reflection and study will remove the obstacles that keep one from being a wise guide and a clear-visioned healer for the wandering children of God looking for a vision of the love of God made real in their lives.

A year after the military coup, Myanmar continues to burn as new evidence emerges of the junta’s horrific atrocities. Efforts for justice and peace are being made against a tide of oppression and attacks. These stories and more in this week’s podcast.

After every new exposé of abuse in the Catholic Church, bishops, superiors and other managers end any statements with a pro-forma claim that their priority is the protection of vulnerable people. By now, the claims are merely threadbare formulas, empty words that convince no one because repeating them is so often necessary.

With 132 million people aged between 15-33, Pakistan is the fifth largest young country in the world. The Muslim-majority nation also has the second-largest youth population in South Asia after India. However, young people from religious minorities, such as Christians and Hindus, face social discrimination. They have fewer opportunities for education, jobs, and to develop their talents. Organizations like Youth Development Foundation or YDF attempt to bridge this gap through collaborative programs. Shahid Rehmat, YDF, Executive Director in conversation with Kamran Chaudhary.