Fr. Bala
Udumala’s journey is marked by an extraordinary blend of pastoral dedication,
social transformation and media innovation. He holds bachelor’s degrees in Philosophy, Theology, History and Education and Master’s degrees in Education,
Sociology and Fine Arts in Film and
Television from Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles.
Fr. Bala engaged
in vibrant evangelisation and revival of village missions early on as a priest
in the remote areas of his native diocese of Vijayawada. Simultaneously, He led
transformative rural development efforts as Diocesan Director of the Andhra Pradesh Social Service Society (APSSS)
focussing on women’s empowerment, skill training, sanitation awareness,
and low-cost housing to improve the lives of the poor.
In
2004, his mission took him to the United States, where he served as Associate
Pastor at St. Mary of the Assumption Church in Santa Maria, California. He
later ministered at St. Joseph’s Church in Hawthorne and St. John Baptist de la
Salle Church in Granada Hills in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. Upon his
return to India, Fr. Bala entered a pioneering phase in Catholic media
leadership.
From
2011 to 2020, as Director of Amruthavani Communications Centre, he revitalized
its programming and trained over 400 Catholic graduates for mainstream
journalism, strengthening the Church’s voice in an often hostile and
challenging media landscape. He also served as dean and faculty at the
Amruthavani Institute of Mass Communications (AIMC), where his students joined
prominent media houses in India. He lectured in media studies for over a decade
at the English and Foreign Languages University (EFLU), Hyderabad, and was a
visiting faculty member at St. John’s Regional Seminary, Ramanthapur.
In
2015, Fr. Bala launched Divyavani Catholic TV Channel, the first
Catholic satellite television station for Telugu-speaking audiences. As its
Founder-CEO until 2023, he expanded its reach across India, particularly during
the COVID-19 lockdown, offering spiritual programming to millions. He wrote,
directed, and produced the award-winning short feature film The Last Appeal,
which received honours at the Las Vegas International Film Festival and the
Catholic International Film Festival in Poland. He also created the stage
production The Mother – Breaking the Barriers, a theatrical tribute to
Mother Teresa featuring artists from Tollywood and Bollywood. His contributions
include a special series titled The God of Mercy for EWTN and a book
by the same name.
After
returning to the U.S. in 2023, he served at St. Joachim’s Church, Costa Mesa and as Parochial Vicar at Holy Trinity Church, Ladera Ranch, Diocese of
Orange. Fr. Bala continues to
live out his vocation as a communicator of God’s love — whether from the
pulpit, in the remote field, behind the camera, or through the written word.
