UCA News Podcast

The difference between us Christians and the rest of the world is the knowledge that there is an answer for our anticipating hearts, and the answer is the Son of God present among us. About the Speaker: Father William J Grimm is a Maryknoll Missioner of 40 year’s experience in Asia-mostly Japan, Hong Kong and Cambodia. For news in and about the Church in Asia, visit www.ucanews.com For news in and...

Listen to news from and about the Church in Asia in a capsule around 10 minutes. Shock and anger abound over India’s pro-Hindu government targeting of humanitarian groups like Missionaries of Charity. In other Asian nations, people grapple with injustices, oppression and the pandemic.    Filed by UCA News reporters, compiled by Rock Ronald Rozario, edited by Peter Hill, presented by John Laurenson...

The Catholic Church is preparing for a new kind of synod involving all of us. Its roots lie in an ecumenical council 60 years ago, Vatican 2. Looking back to that event can give us the foundation we need to take part in the synodal process.  Father William Grimm, who lives in Japan,  shares some thoughts on this. Produced by Binu Alex For news in and about the Church in Asia, visit www.ucanews.com...

If we want to see God, we need not spend years doing spiritual calisthenics or wait until we die. God has come among us as one of us. If you wish to see God, look at Jesus, the manifestation of God among us. About the Speaker: Father William J Grimm is a Maryknoll Missioner of 40 year’s experience in Asia-mostly Japan, Hong Kong and Cambodia. For news in and about the Church in Asia, visit www.uca...

Each of us is presented with the same vocation as Mary. God says to you and to me, "Make my Son present in the world. Forgive sins. Bring healing. Live with faith that my love is stronger than your death. By word and deed, assure the world of my love." About the Speaker: Father William J Grimm is a Maryknoll Missioner of 40 year’s experience in Asia-mostly Japan, Hong Kong and Cambodia. For news i...

As the boy Jesus "increased in wisdom and in years and in divine and human favor, " so, too, the Church grows in wisdom, years and favor. About the Speaker: Father William J Grimm is a Maryknoll Missioner of 40 year’s experience in Asia-mostly Japan, Hong Kong and Cambodia. For news in and about the Church in Asia, visit www.ucanews.com For news in and about the Church in Asia, visit www.ucanews.c...

Listen to news from and about the Church in Asia in a capsule around 10 minutes. Christmas spirit is slowly gripping Catholics in Asia despite challenges including natural calamities, the coronavirus and oppressive regimes. The New Year looms with new hope against adversities.  These and much more in this year's last dispatch. We are taking a year end break and will return in the new year. Filed b...

Today we remember and celebrate the fact that we can know God's glory and power not as some sort of information, but as a person. So, on Christmas Day we move from the story to the program, from what happened long ago to our vocation today. About the Speaker: Father William J Grimm is a Maryknoll Missioner of 40 year’s experience in Asia-mostly Japan, Hong Kong and Cambodia. For news in and about...

Last year, we had a Covid Christmas. We thought, or at least hoped, it would be the only one. But now we face our second. In a real sense, every Christmas, every year, every day is a Covid day, with the word Covid standing in for all the disasters and disappointments that are a part of life. Does the Christmas feast offer us any encouragement in our various Covid Christmases? Father William Grimm,...

Christmas is, of course, much more than a child's feast. But, it is, indeed, a time for us to reflect upon children and the gifts we give them, the legacy we leave them.  About the Speaker: Father William J Grimm is a Maryknoll Missioner of 40 year’s experience in Asia-mostly Japan, Hong Kong and Cambodia. For news in and about the Church in Asia, visit www.ucanews.com For news in and about the Ch...

Listen to news from and about the Church in Asia in a capsule around 10 minutes. Catholic-run institutes bear the brunt amid an anti-Christian purge in India. In other Asian nations, people grapple with the impacts of natural and manmade calamities.       Filed by UCA News reporters, compiled by Rock Ronald Rozario, edited by Peter Hill, presented by John Laurenson, background score by Andre Louis...

What we really want has already been given us. We do not have to wait until Christmas Day to receive it. We do not have to wait until we start following all the good advice we have received. About the Speaker: Father William J Grimm is a Maryknoll Missioner of 40 year’s experience in Asia-mostly Japan, Hong Kong and Cambodia. For news in and about the Church in Asia, visit www.ucanews.com For news...

In the early Church, there was quite a contest between the followers of John the Baptist and the followers of Jesus about who was preeminent. But the evangelists used that contest to underline the important things they wanted to emphasize about Jesus in their communities. Whatever John’s Gospel was emphasizing always came back to two things - faith in Jesus and God’s love us and our love of one an...

Listen to news from and about the Church in Asia in a capsule around 10 minutes. Politically troubled and divided Hong Kong has welcomed a new Catholic bishop who promises healing and bridge building. In other parts of Asia, people cling to hope for freedom, justice and unity in unfavorable environments. Filed by UCA News reporters, compiled by Rock Ronald Rozario, edited by Peter Hill, presented...

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,...

The Church year begins and ends with disaster stories. They are a style of biblical literature called apocalypse that has now become a genre of popular entertainment. We are fascinated by apocalyptic stories because in many ways, they are our own stories. But there is more to apocalyptic than disaster. It is an important part of the Bible and faith because it tells us something about God’s presenc...

This Gospel today contains more material to again show the focus of one of the early contests in the first Christian communities: how did Jesus fit into the unfolding history of Christianity and what was John the Baptist’s role announcing Jesus? But while the evangelist presents the material, it remains up to the believer drawn to hear that story to accept it and live with and from it. About the S...

Today’s Gospel is the most emphatic statement by Jesus about how determined he is to seek out and save whatever might be lost among us. He just won’t, perhaps even can’t give up on us. The implication for us and how we engage with and treat each other is completely obvious. What is completely obvious that God will go to any extent he can tisane, renew and invigorate us as believers. About the Spea...

The crowds are staggered and amazed that Jesus can heal as he does, perform the miracles that he does, achieve the mighty outcomes that he does. But Jesus wants the crows to appreciate he has more he can do than just overwhelm natural problems we face and the set backs that confront us. He can actually turn lives around through the healing and forgiveness he can complete. About the Speaker: Father...

Sunday Gospel Reflection by Father Bill Grimm Advent is the season in which the Church recommits itself to living a great adventure. We are a band of companions walking through a world of marvels and dangers to a promised goal, eternal life with God. About the Speaker: Father William J Grimm is a Maryknoll Missioner of 40 year’s experience in Asia-mostly Japan, Hong Kong and Cambodia. For news in...

Today’s Gospel announces the mission and message of John the Baptist who comes in anticipation of Jesus to open the way for his mission and message. The evangelist seeks to be precise and exact about when this action took place because God’s entry into our history is very practical, exact and precise. And becomes with a very clear message proclaiming renewal and redemption. About the Speaker: Fath...

Listen to news from and about the Church in Asia in a capsule around 10 minutes. Compensation bought some consolation for two sexually abused altar boys in Indonesia this week as Christians and other groups ramped up their battle against injustice and discrimination.  Filed by UCA News reporters, compiled by Rock Ronald Rozario, edited by Peter Hill, presented by John Laurenson, background score b...

Healing is the characteristic action of Jesus’ ministry. People in Jesus’ time saw illness and disease as an effect of sin and so the banishment of sickness and the healing of disease is part of the renewal that comes with Jesus’ ministry. Healing is a multidimensional activity.  Delivering that transformation is part of new life of the Kingdom which God wants us to enjoy through Jesus’ agency. Le...

St. Francis Xavier whose feast we celebrate today is a saint of wide significance for the Church across the world but especially for those of us in Asia and Australia. In Australia, he is a national Patron Saint and he did his saintly work of evangelization in Asia - in India, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Japan. But everywhere he went, he came to the poor and needy, healing the sick and binding up hear...

One of the main things that discourages people from exploring the message of Jesus and becoming Christians is the life that Christians live that is so obviously at odds with message and example of Jesus. It is the hypocrisy of Christians that scandalizes aspiring Christians. Christians who live at odds with what Jesus lived and taught and are only Christians in name but not in deed doo themselves...