May 5, 2010 // Local

Bishop Rhoades to bless new Redeemer Radio facilities

Todays Catholic

FORT WAYNE — Redeemer Radio, Catholic Radio AM 1450, announced that Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades will bless the new studio facilities of Redeemer Radio on May 11 at 10 a.m. The station’s new home will be located at 4618 E. State St. (East State Professional Office Park), between Reed and Coliseum. The public is invited to attend.

Bishop Rhoades has been a supporter of Redeemer Radio since his arrival as the new bishop of the diocese in January of this year and serves as honorary co-chair of “Building Faith, Sharing Christ: The Campaign for Redeemer Radio” with Bishop John M. D’Arcy, his predecessor. Bishop Rhoades recently said, “Redeemer Radio is a great means of evangelization and catechesis. … It has my blessing and my strong support.”

The bishop will be joined by Msgr. Robert Schulte, the vicar general of the diocese, and Jim Fitzpatrick, the episcopal master of ceremonies. Msgr. Schulte, a member of the Redeemer Radio Campaign Cabinet, is scheduled to offer the opening prayer.

The leadership of Redeemer Radio expressed its gratitude to Bishop Rhoades, both for his support and for giving of his time to bless the facilities. Redeemer Radio Board Chairman Mike Kelly noted, “Though we are an independent apostolate, we serve at the pleasure of Bishop Rhoades and strive to do everything possible to assist him in his goals and the diocese in its work.”

The new station studios were made possible through the generous gifts donated during the initial silent phase of the campaign. Campaign Co-Chair Lona Pritchard describes the new studios as “one of the first fruits that demonstrates the success of the initial phase of the capital campaign.”

The blessing of the new facilities marks a new chapter in the life of the rapidly growing Catholic radio station, and the relocation is concurrent with the announcement of the public phase of the capital campaign.

The new studios will provide the space necessary to expand Redeemer Radio’s reach to more of the diocese, and, through the success of the entire campaign, the station will be able to purchase the remaining state-of-the-art, digital equipment to operate and distribute Catholic radio programming to additional stations throughout most of the diocese. The expanded studios provide tangible evidence of the campaign’s progress, and the generosity of Redeemer Radio’s listeners demonstrates their desire for continued growth.

Redeemer Radio will commence broadcasting from its new home on East State Street in mid to late May.