The Golden Jubilee celebration of the Nam Vazhvu ("Our Life") weekly magazine was held at St. Britto Higher Secondary School, Gnanaolivupuram, Madurai, in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, on January 22, 2025.
The Print Media Service of the Tamil Nadu Bishops' Council has published the magazine since 1975.
Archbishop George Antonysamy, President of the Tamil Nadu Bishops’ Council, presided over the Eucharistic celebration, and Bishop Lourdhu Anandam, Chairman of the Nam Vazhvu Publication Committee, delivered the homily.
In his homily, Bishop Anandam highlighted the magazine’s invaluable service over the past 50 years in proclaiming the Good News of Christ, Gospel values, and the principles of the Kingdom of God.
He lauded the media ministry of Nam Vazhvu. He emphasized the need for the magazine to serve as a tool for Catholics to gain political, social, and awareness insights, urging an expansion of its readership and subscriber base.
The Emeritus Archbishop of Madurai, Antony Pappusamy, praised Nam Vazhvu as a voice for the minority Catholic community and as a medium that effectively brought their rights to the government's attention.
Archbishop Francis Kalist of Pondicherry-Cuddalore commended the magazine for its unique role in an era where media often becomes a tool in the hands of those in power, applauding its fearless presentation of views and commitment to Christian values.
Special guest Inigo Irudayaraj, a member of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly from Tiruchirappalli East and a prominent Christian political leader, stressed the importance of ensuring that every Christian family receives the magazine.
He urged parish priests and the faithful to show enthusiasm in promoting the magazine, describing it as an essential tool for uniting Christians in today’s context.
Senior writers closely associated with Nam Vazhvu's journey received Golden Jubilee awards and honors.
In his congratulatory message, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. K. Stalin expressed his happiness at the Golden Jubilee celebration of Nam Vazhvu.
He remarked, "Nam Vazhvu, a weekly magazine launched in 1975 by the Tamil Nadu Synod, has completed 50 years of its journey, and I extend my heartfelt wishes on this milestone."
He highlighted the magazine’s slogan in Tamil, "கூர்முனைப் புரட்சியால் சீர்மிகு உலகமைப்போம்" ("Let’s make the world fair through the Spike Revolution") and appreciated its dedication to promoting social equality, education, politics, and lifestyle.
The Chief Minister noted that the magazine has embraced digital platforms, furthering its mission in the modern era.
He also acknowledged the development of the Nam Vazhvu office into a publishing house producing excellent books.
Commending the tireless efforts of Editor-in-Chief Father Rajasekaran and the team, he said, "I appreciate everyone involved in this remarkable journey and wish for Nam Vazhvu to continue its uninterrupted media service forever."
About 80 priests, 100 nuns, and over 1,000 people participated in the event, which was organized by the director of the Print Media Service of the Tamil Nadu Bishops’ Council and editor-in-chief of the magazine, Father Rajasekaran, along with associate editors Father Gnanasekaran and Father Arun Prasad.
Father Paul Britto, the director of the Nobili Pastoral Centre in Madurai and the coordinator of Pastoral Teams, further coordinated the event arrangements.
Radio Veritas Asia (RVA), a media platform of the Catholic Church, aims to share Christ. RVA started in 1969 as a continental Catholic radio station to serve Asian countries in their respective local language, thus earning the tag “the Voice of Asian Christianity.” Responding to the emerging context, RVA embraced media platforms to connect with the global Asian audience via its 21 language websites and various social media platforms.
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