Tuning in to God’s message

Bishop Michael Olson in the GRN studio with Dave Palmer. (courtesy photo/Sissel Anderson)

IRVING – With one flip of a switch, North Texas faithful received an additional opportunity to hear God’s call.

Volunteers, benefactors, and headquarters staff of the Guadalupe Radio Network filled the hall outside the Irving recording studio the morning of Aug. 15, the Solemnity of the Assumption, to celebrate the debut of the additional station number, KCPP 1140 AM, to join the family of GRN stations: KATH 910 AM, Cleburne's 101.5 FM, and the daytime Spanish radio KJON 850 AM — expanding the GRN station’s reach within the diocese.

“The desire for the station has been a long time, and now it’s come to fruition,” said Dave Palmer, radio host and director of the North Texas division. The new station’s letters, KCPP, stand for Capuchin Padre Pio, he said.

Joining radio host Dave Palmer on air to reflect and celebrate the new stations were special guests Bishop Michael Olson, GRN President Sammy Rodriguez Jr., and GRN Chief Operating Officer Toya Hall.
 

A live(d) experience

“Standby, Kent!” the assistant engineer shouted to chief engineer Kent Loney. “Program’s live,” he replied some seconds later.

As the debut studio program began, long-time supporters of the Catholic radio station lined the hall facing the recording studio, with more guests sitting before a large image of Our Lady of Guadalupe in a nearby conference room.

“I’m just surrounded by all these familiar faces,” Palmer said into the mic, nodding at the long-time supporters of the station standing outside the studio. “Thank you everybody for being here.

“We currently flipped the switch with Bishop Olson,” he continued, “and now we're going to do the official blessing, thank you, and ask all of our listeners to join us in prayer.”

At the hallway juncture, a small signal delay created a chorus round of prayer, a preview to the many tuning in and following in prayer around the diocese.

“The wisdom of God is beyond imagining and His goodness, a boundless treasure,” said Bishop Olson in his opening prayer. “He unfailingly enlightens our minds to open up new and better means of sharing with each other all kinds of information, ideas, and aspirations.”

After reading the daily readings and Gospel, Bishop Olson discussed how radio evangelization will help with sharing peace, unity, and authentic communion among all Catholics and people of goodwill.

“Especially in the rural areas of the Diocese of Fort Worth, in the western part, southwestern part, they rely on Catholic radio to edify their lives as they go about their workday, to reinforce their faith, and to help them be mindful of where they evangelize throughout the day,” he said.

Society is immersed in multiple forms of media that drive people away from the truth, Bishop Olson reflected.

“We’re getting an agenda, or we’re getting a narrative, and a narrative that’s pushing the interests of those who really don’t want to abide by the rule of law or by right reason, let alone by the enlightenment of faith,” he said. “And so, Catholic radio is so important for us just to tell the truth, and especially to tell the truth of the Gospel, which looks scandalous or foolish to the world.”

The power of Catholic radio, and tuning in to listen, was a powerful theme throughout the half hour episode.

“Catholic radio is like this great signpost back into the Church,” Toya Hall said. “Yes, to the Church, to living in the Church, and the beautiful sacraments that we have.”

Listening to KATH 910 AM had become a daily part of Rodriguez’s life even before joining the network family.

“I could literally just feel presence through what I was hearing; what was coming in my ears was going straight to my heart,” Rodriguez said.

In closing, Bishop Olson shared a message for the faithful.

The Diocese of Fort Worth, he explained, comprises 28 counties and 23,500 square miles of Catholics from all varieties of backgrounds and native tongues. But the one thing that all would do well to remember is “our own unity lies in Christ, and especially in the most important way that we're transformed by the Eucharist,” Bishop Olson said. “We're sent into mission and evangelization as this mission of this Catholic radio can help us to foster that kind of unity that only God can give us.”

An airway to God

The expansion of the network reach signals a great reach for evangelization.

“It is just so amazing now, the reach that we're going to have with 47 stations. Over 30 million potential souls tuning in, learning the fullness of truth across our airways,” said Shaun Rice, GRN vice director of mission.

The addition will provide opportunities to reach frequent travelers in the diocese, people searching for fresh content, or those considering a reversion or conversion to the Church.

“We have this great blessing of this Catholic radio apostolate where people can tune in and learn the good, the true, and the beautiful of our faith — just by tuning in,” Rice said. “Unabashedly, unashamed, and with no judgment. Somebody wants to hear? Flip the switch.”

Rice said many people recount turning the dial to their radio during a trip and landing on a GRN network station by accident.

The station invites listeners to be fishers of men via the use of their KATH 910 AM, KCPP 1140 AM, and 102.5 FM stickers.

“We tell people, go fishing with us,” Rice said. “You have no idea how many people come back to the sacraments, come back to the Church, or are introduced to the faith for the first time because they saw a sticker on someone's back window and started tuning in.”