Bishop Celebrates Inaugural Mass for The Presence Radio Network

The Presence, WXTP, Maine’s first Catholic radio station, is now broadcasting on 106.7 FM in the Portland area and is available online at www.thepresence.fm.

Bishop Richard Malone celebrated Mass at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Portland to mark the launching of the station, which is the result of years of work by dedicated laypeople and clergy.

“Today we celebrate the birth of “The Presence,” a historic moment in launching Catholic radio in Maine, and our prayer, of course, is that God’s presence, the presence of His word, will come to more and more people in our wonderful state through this beautiful lay apostolate,” the bishop said during the Mass.

The bishop called The Presence Radio Network “a true example of the laity in action.” It is owned and operated by laypeople who received approval for the apostolate from the diocese. They will work in conjunction with the diocese but are independent from it.

Cynthia Nickless, the executive director, said, “Our goal is to provide a consistent, courageous and genuine voice for the Catholic Church and the truths of our faith.”

During the inaugural Mass, the bishop stressed the importance of that, noting recent studies that showed Maine to be one of the most secular states in the country.

“It’s not the role of the secular media — the newspapers, or radio, or television — to proclaim the truth of the Gospel,” he said. “It’s our job, and we’re now ready to do it even more effectively.”

The bishop noted that out of the estimated 17,500 radio stations broadcasting in the United States only approximately 170 are Roman Catholic.

“A wonderful symbol of what John Paul II called the new evangelization -- new in methods, new in its ardor -- is what we’re about today, the launching of the Presence Catholic Radio Network. Until now, at least on the airwaves in Maine, the Catholic voice has been absent. That is no longer the case,” said the bishop.

The format for the new station consists of a variety of Catholic programming supplied primarily via satellite from the EWTN Global Catholic Radio Network as well as local features, prayer, and announcements. EWTN provides a mix of the most successful Catholic radio programming available in the country. About 80% of all Catholic radio stations in the U.S. rely on EWTN for programming. Some of the shows include Catholic Answers and Open Line (both live call-in programs), Catholic Connection, and The Doctor is In. Local shows will be developed in the future.

The Inaugural Mass at the Cathedral was concelebrated by several priests from the diocese including Msgr. Paul Stefanko, Msgr. J. Joseph Ford, VF, Rev. Louis Phillips, Rev. Joseph Daniels, Rev. Paul Dumais, Rev. Seamus Griesbach, Rev. Paul Marquis, Rev. Paul Plante, and Rev. Bob Vaillancourt.

Approximately 230 people attended the midday Mass, which was followed by a reception to officially launch the radio station and to introduce the many people who helped make it happen.

Also in attendance were sisters from the Servants of the Blessed Sacrament in Waterville and members of the Knights of Columbus. The sisters and five Knights’ councils filed successful applications with the Federal Communications Commission which, in the coming months and years, will allow them to bring Catholic radio to other parts of the state including Augusta, Bath, Greene, Madawaska, Waterville, and York. (read more)

While that is the hope for the future, the Presence is already here.

Said the bishop, “Today is a great moment of grace and a moment of rejoicing, a big step forward in our diocesan project of Telling Anew the Story of Jesus so as to strengthen the heartbeat of our Church in Maine.”