Frequently Asked Questions about The Presence Radio Network, and Catholic Radio
Frequently Asked Questions
- 1. What is the vision and mission of The Presence Radio Network?
- 2. Who has been involved with the project?
- 3. What stations are on the air?
- 4. How long before the other stations are on the air?
- 5. What programming will be carried?
- 6. Will we have local programming?
- 7. How will funds be raised to support the stations?
- 8. Is the capital campaign funding the project?
- 9. Will the network hold on-air pledge drives?
- 10. What is the origin of the name, “The Presence Radio Network?”
- 11. How is the Catholic radio apostolate organized?
- 12. Are donations tax deductible?
- 13. Are people able to listen via the internet?
- 14. How will The Presence Radio Network succeed?
- 15. Will lives be changed?
- 16. Why is Catholic radio so important?
- Conclusion:
1. What is the vision and mission of The Presence Radio Network?
Although Christian radio is heard throughout the State of Maine, a vital voice has been absent – the Catholic voice, as expressed in Sacred Scripture, through Sacred Tradition and the Roman Catholic Church – UNTIL NOW. The Presence Catholic Radio Network will fill that very silent void.
The Presence Radio Network is a voice for our Church, for the truth, and for our faith. Catholic radio will reach Catholics, non-Catholic Christians, and non-believers. Catholic radio program providers offer the teachings of the Catholic Church and the doctrine as intended by its founder, Jesus Christ. Jesus promised to guide the Church in all truth by sending us his Holy Spirit. Maine Catholic radio stations will provide the voice of the Spirit of truth on the air waves and the internet throughout the State of Maine.
Through an untiring desire to serve Christ and His Church, we hope that these efforts will lead to a statewide Catholic radio network capable of broadcasting from the southern beaches of York County to the gently rolling hills of the St. John Valley along the Canadian border. Such a task will require prayer, faith, and financial support.
The mission of The Presence Radio Network is to provide radio programming that strengthens Catholics in their faith, informs non-Catholics, and invites fallen-away Catholics to return home. Catholic radio will serve the communities in which it broadcasts by teaching the truths of the Catholic Church.
2. Who has been involved with the project?
We partnered with the Knights of Columbus in several communities, and are very grateful for their work with us!
The Presence Radio Network operates stations licensed in N. Windham and Corinth serving the communities of Portland and Bangor, respectively, and their surrounding areas. Listed below are license or construction permit (CP) holders for the planned stations.
| Location | License or Construction Permit |
|---|---|
| N. Windham (Greater Portland, on-air) | Leased by The Presence Radio Network |
| Corinth (Greater Bangor, on-air) | The Presence Radio Network (License) |
| Augusta (on-air) | The Presence Radio Network (License) |
| Bath | The Presence Radio Network (CP) |
| Greene | The Presence Radio Network (CP) |
| Madawaska | Fraternal Building Organization (K of C) |
| York | Fraternal Organization, Inc. (K of C) |
Many people have contributed to the success of our efforts to date. Namely, Father Dan Greenleaf, who not only secured the early funding to support our efforts but he worked tirelessly to ensure the support of Catholic entities throughout our state. We will be forever grateful to him for his support and prayers.
No one person or team of people could have achieved the success of building a statewide Catholic radio network. “This is the work of the Holy Spirit,” these are the words spoken by people who have gone before us and built Catholic radio stations or networks. Those of us privileged to work on this project are certain of that truth.
3. What stations are on the air?
The Presence Radio Network has currently launched 106.7 FM (WXTP) in Greater Portland (in July of 2010), 90.3 FM (WXBP) in Greater Bangor (in December of 2011), and 89.5 FM (WWTP) in Augusta (in April of 2012).
4. How long before the other stations are on the air?
We are focusing our efforts on perfecting the 106.7 FM station as well as the expansion project to the other communities which have been awarded CPs.
The locations, dial positions, call letters, and award dates are listed below:
| Location | Frequency | Call Letters | Award Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| N. Windham (on-air) | 106.7 | WXTP | — |
| Corinth (on-air) | 90.3 | WXBP | 12/08/08 |
| Augusta (on-air) | 89.5 | WWTP | 03/24/09 |
| Bath | 89.7 | WTBP | 10/24/08 |
| Greene | 91.1 | WFGP | 05/23/08 |
| Madawaska | 91.9 | WFHP | 03/31/10 |
| York | 90.5 | WYTP | 03/31/10 |
5. What programming will be carried?
Programming is the most significant expense for any radio station, but Catholic radio programming is provided FREE as a mission of the apostolates involved. This has enabled Catholic radio to grow rapidly over the last ten years on a national basis. The Presence Radio Network will access programming from the following Catholic radio program providers:
- EWTN Radio Programming
- Ave Maria Radio
- St. Joseph Communications
- Relevant Radio
- Catholic World Mission
- Franciscan Radio
- Domestic Church Media Foundation
- Catholic Media Productions
- Catholic Answers
These programming partners affirm the unity of the universal Catholic Church: her beauty, her Sacraments, her Traditions, and the gifts of her people.
6. Will we have local programming?
Yes, our hope is that as we build a solid base of financial support we will be able to add more local programming to our schedule. Even now, however, we air many local announcements, short features, and newscasts that bring the local Catholic community to the airwaves.
7. How will funds be raised to support the stations?
Catholic radio stations across the country are listener supported. Our primary source of funding is and will continue to be listener support. This is directly correlated to the time necessary to grow our listener audience. We will conduct two pledge drives per year.
We are also undertaking a funding campaign to achieve our expansion goals. The equipment and added communications costs to each local community will be raised in a targeted campaign. Every donation is critical today at our infant juncture to ensure future expansion and continued Catholic broadcasting.
8. Is the capital campaign funding the project?
The recent Diocesan Capital Campaign provides for a limited percentage of the funds needed to operate the current Catholic radio station 106.7 FM. These funds alone do not sustain the station nor provide for the expansion of the radio network to other communities throughout the state. We are very grateful for the capital campaign contributions; however, we are an independent lay apostolate and must rely on the generosity of our listeners to remain on the air and growing in the State of Maine.
9. Will the network hold on-air pledge drives?
Yes. In fact, The Presence aired its first on-air Pledge Drive September 7-9, 2011, and held its second one March 14-16, 2012. These pledge drives will continue to air twice a year (once in the fall and once in the spring). They include interviews with local guests, segments from the regular programming, and testimonials about the value of Catholic radio in Maine.
10. What is the origin of the name, “The Presence Radio Network?”
Our hope is that the name will focus attention on our Lord’s true presence in the Eucharist. With less than 50% (47% to be exact) of Catholics believing in the “Real Presence” of Jesus in the Eucharist we hope to reinforce this foundational teaching of our Church.
11. How is the Catholic radio apostolate organized?
The Presence Radio Network is a Catholic, non-profit corporation, lay apostolate, organized to support Catholic evangelization utilizing radio and the internet as communications media. We will work in concert with Life Long Faith Formation in reaching Catholics and non-Catholics alike.
12. Are donations tax deductible?
Yes, The Presence Radio Network is a 501 c(3), charitable organization, recognized by the USCCB group tax exemption (“Group Ruling”). The Presence Radio Network will be listed in the 2010 edition of the Official Catholic Directory.
13. Are people able to listen via the internet?
The Presence Radio Network’s programming is available and reaches all Maine communities and beyond via the internet by clicking on our “Listen Live” button at www.thepresence.fm. Webstreaming helps to build much needed awareness and loyalty as we expand to new communities throughout the state.
14. How will The Presence Radio Network succeed?
Many factors will enable “The Presence Radio Network” to reach its goal of facilitating Catholic radio in 9 communities across the State of Maine:
- LOW COST: Programming from multiple, proven, high quality, Catholic radio apostolates, will be re-broadcast FREE of charge or licensing fee.
- PROVEN MODEL: The Presence will follow other successful Catholic radio ministries and assist local Catholic radio stations in operations, programming, engineering, and expansion efforts.
- NON-PROFIT: Catholic radio stations are non-profit, and listener-supported. This frees them from the need to generate profit; the only operating cost is direct overhead.
- COMMUNITY INPUT: The Presence Radio Network is made up of local Catholics who are fellow parishioners, committed to Catholic radio. Local programming will be produced as our financial base grows, the stations will be available to Bishop Malone whenever he wishes to address the listening communities.
- FOCUS: Local stations will rebroadcast proven and professional Catholic programming. We will focus on representing Catholic ministries, schools, and our Churches in a truthful and positive manner. We will not rely on personal opinions or preferences.
- SHARED EXPERIENCE: The Presence Radio Network is a member of the Catholic Radio Association (CRA), a group founded by pioneers who started Catholic radio stations and are dedicated to sharing ideas, experience and advice with other Catholic radio stations all across the country.
15. Will lives be changed?
We know from our Lord’s example on the cross that the salvation of even one soul more than justifies the effort and cost of bringing Catholic radio to our local communities. Successful Catholic radio ministries give witness to inspiring stories of lives that have been dramatically changed through hearing their programming.
Here are just a few examples of what can happen when Catholic radio comes to a community:
- A group of death row inmates formed a study group using a program of religious study taken from a Catholic radio station.
- One station reported many conversion stories and glowing reports from priests, excited for their parishioners to have access to Catholic radio programming.
- A man dropped by a station to find out how he could return to the Church.
- While driving across a barren stretch of road, a fallen away former Catholic priest tuned into a Catholic radio station. What he heard inspired him to eventual reconciliation with the Church.
16. Why is Catholic radio so important?
Of an estimated 17,500 radio stations broadcasting in the United States, only 170 of them are presently devoted to broadcasting Catholic radio. Recent growth has been very exciting, with nearly sixty of those stations going on the air in the last five years. Non-Catholic Christians have been much more active in the effort to evangelize over the airwaves, with 2,141 stations designated as “Christian.” The remaining radio stations, adding up to more than 15,000, can fairly be described as secular, and it is also fair to assume that a growing number of these stations are, at best, casually encouraging negative perceptions of the Catholic Church.
Most Reverend Richard Joseph Malone – Harvest Magazine, March / April 2009
Recent surveys of the beliefs and practices of the faith among U.S. Catholics, however, raise profound concern. The Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate at Georgetown University, published in April 2008 a study of 1,007 self-identified adult Catholics regarding their beliefs about and participation in the sacramental life of the Church. Among major findings are the following:
- Only six in ten agree somewhat or strongly with the statement that “sacraments are essential to my faith.”
- Twenty-three percent say they attend Mass every week.
- Forty-seven percent say they believe Jesus Christ is really present in the Eucharist.
- Thirty-four percent say they can be a “good Catholic” without going to Mass every Sunday.
These and other data clearly suggest knowledge of, and commitment to, the faith on the part of many U.S. Catholic adults is weak indeed. Not surprisingly, the regularity of one’s Mass attendance is a strong indicator of the importance of Catholicism in a person’s life.
“In general, the more frequently one attends Mass, the more frequently he or she participates in other Church or religious activities, the greater his or her knowledge of the Catholic faith, the greater his or her awareness of current events in the Church, and the greater his or her adherence to Church teachings.” (Sacraments Today: Belief and Practice among U.S. Catholics, CARA, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, 2008. p. 2)
Here again we see the great truth so famously declared by the Second Vatican Council: the Eucharist is the source and summit of the Christian life. It is a tragedy that fewer than 1/3 of our Catholic people in Maine – and in most of New England – are faithful weekly participants at Mass.
The Church in Maine has much on its pastoral agenda. In my judgment, though, nothing is as urgent as the work of strengthening our efforts at truly effective evangelization and lifelong faith formation. Evangelization leads people to discover Jesus Christ personally and to accept Him as their savior. Catechesis deepens communion with Christ and forms our minds and hearts in the truth of His saving message. Father Ronald Rolheiser, OMI, in his “Secularity and the Gospel” (Crossword, NY, 2006), argues that we who live in U.S. secular culture must become missionaries to our own children. I would add that we, as adults, also must be missionaries to one another. There is our challenge.
Let’s not let our children, one another – and our Lord – down.
Conclusion:
Catholic radio is one of the most significant contributors to renewal in the diocese in which it is broadcast. Some of the measurable results have been: an increase in parish participation, an increase in stewardship, an increase in RCIA participation, and an increase in vocations.
It is a blessing to have the ability to reach people in places and at times not previously available, 24 hours a day, 7 days per week. Catholic radio is an effective and efficient tool for evangelization.
All for the glory of God and good of souls!!
Blessed Mother Teresa
For more information please contact:
Cindy Nickless
