World Family of Radio Maria News - 18 ENG

Periodical of the World Family Radio Maria Association

Year IV – Issue 18 October - November - December 2016

The Triumph of the Immaculate Heart

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Merry Christmas

he Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception invites us to reflect on Our Lady’s growing importance in modern times, beginning in 1830 with the apparitions at the convent of the Daughters of Charity in Rue du Bac, Paris and continuing up to today.

Since then there has been a continuous crescendo of Mary’s light that illuminates the darkness of a world that puts itself in God’s place. The Handmaid of the Lord descends to the battlefield of the dark empire of lies and death to crush its proud head and to bring the kingship of Jesus Christ to the world. Within and around us rages a battle to which the Queen of Heaven

calls her “apostles” to fight for the triumph of her Immaculate Heart.

From the beginning, Our Lady has assured us of the final victory and does not cease to do so still, when the power of evil in the world seems an invincible force. Against evil the Virgin now powerfully carries out her victories silently, within her children who convert, in those who courageously bear witness, and in those who, out of love for her and Jesus, face persecution and martyrdom.

We must be part of this multitude of “Mary’s Apostles” who carry the light of truth and the fire of love to a world that has lost its way through self-worship

Radio Maria and fallen into the slavery of the infernal serpent.

Yours truly, Fr. Livio

Happy Birthday, Fr. Livio! pg.

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Radio Maria Stations' Anniversaries

Radio Maria News Briefs from Around the World

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WF RADIO MARIA News

October - November - December 2016

Happy Birthday, Fr. Livio!

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n Friday, 11 November, from Italy all the way to remotest Papua New Guinea, a resounding chorus of well wishes was sent to Fr. Livio, Director of Radio Maria and Directors' Advisor of all of the World Family. It was a day of joyous excitement at the Erba headquarters. With joy, affection, and great esteem, everyone present joined in to celebrate the birthday of this special man who has, for over 30 years, dedicated his life to Radio Maria's mission of evangelization. Punctually every day he arrives straight to the hearts of millions of listeners. What is the secret to his tireless efforts? Perhaps it can only be understood by looking into his clear eyes, which are lit with an ever more dazzling

light every time he reminds us that, "in Mary's hands, everything is possible!"

Michela Burdino

Stations Celebrating Anniversaries in December, January, and February

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very time one of our new radios takes to the airwaves, even where despair and conflict reign, the angel’s joyful proclamation sounds: “Do not be afraid; for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.” (Lk 2:10)

December The fifth of December marked 5 years that Radio Maria Armenia has been broadcasting from the oldest Christian country. As Pope Francis recalled, Armenia’s very identity has been shaped by the faith.

Quite a few of our sister stations celebrate their anniversary on the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, starting from 1992 when Radio Maria began broadcasting in the United States and from 1996 in Germany

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“Many Stations, Just One Mission” and Argentina. Radio Maria has been present in Oceania, in Papua New Guinea, from 2007 and from 2008 in the most highly populated Muslim country in the world, Indonesia. In 2010 we began broadcasting in Bosnia Herzegovina. Two Radio Marias were born 8 December 2014: in Macedonia and in Equatorial Guinea—the only Spanish-speaking African nation. Another two were born 8 December 2015, coinciding with the opening of the Holy Year of Mercy: in Riga, Archbishop Zbignev Stankevics blessed the studios of Radio Maria Lativia while from Rome— with mobile studios in the Middle East—Radio Mariam began broadcasting for Arabic-speaking Christians. This

latter fulfills a promise that was made to the Holy Father.

Another Marian Feast, the memorial of Our Lady of Guadalupe on 12 December, marks the anniversaries of Radio Maria in Burkina Faso (1993), Bolivia (1999), and Paraguay (2002). Radio Maria Serbia was born on 13 December 2003 and broadcasting from the Republic of Guinea began on 19 December 2015.

January Radio Maria Sierra Leone was born 1 January 2004.

On 12 January 1987, in Erba, Italy, the Radio Maria Association was constituted—the mother of all these radio stations proclaiming the Gospel message throughout the five conti-

nents. Also in January, we celebrate the anniversaries of Radio Marias Hungary (15 Jan 2006), Amigos a New York (23 Jan 2001), Spain (24 Jan 1999), and Kosovo (29 Jan 2013).

February Three radios celebrate their anniversaries in February.

On the 2nd, the Feast of the Presentation in the Temple, Radio Maria Holland began broadcasting in 2008. On 11 February, the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes, Radio Maria Philippines will celebrate 15 years on the air.

Finally, Radio Maria Croatia was born in 1997 on 22 February, the Feast of the Chair of Peter, emphasizing the mission of love that our affiliate carries out in service of the Church and the Pope.

Stefano Chiappalone

October - November - December 2016

News RADIO MARIA WF

Radio Mariam: Small Steps in a Large Project

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year after Radio Mariam’s inauguration on 8 December, 2015, our praise and thanksgiving are given to Mary Immaculate who has guided this radio with the few resources we have available. The beginning seems a long time past and the station has come far.

Starting with an internal staff of two and one external worker, with connections made through Skype or by telephone, this web radio is now available on Eutalsat-Nilesat satellite.

With its mobile studios, it transmits Masses, prayers, and news from Jordan, Lebanon, and Iraq throughout the world with the support of other Radio Marias.

In the new year, we are also preparing to broadcast from Damascus and Syria and then from Egypt’s Catholic churches.

The task is not without hardships but there is also the support of the local churches’ greatest lead-

ers, who see Radio Mariam as a blessing in these difficult times.

Let us pray for this project of Mariam, woman of the Middle East, and for the suffering and tortured peoples of these lands that were the birthplace of Jesus and the early Church.

Joseph Nassar

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October - November - December 2016

WF RADIO MARIA News

A Radio in the Land of the Sun

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wo high definition (HD) stations have been established in Florida as part of the large network along the East Coast of the United States. Their frequency is 91.9FM. Thanks to the significant efforts of Radio Maria New York and especially

its president, Don Pedro, and director, Fr. Juan Carlos, today we have a nice production locale. From 3:00 in the afternoon until 9:00 at night we are connected to New York's broadcast with programs produced in Miami.

Don Emanuele’s commit-

ment to developing this radio—the first in HD in the US—has been commendable. The Houston station will also join the HD project soon. Among our volunteers, it’s been wonderful to see an enthusiastic group in Miami. We

Archbishop of Madrid Visits Radio Maria

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his past 11 November, a week before leaving for Rome to receive his cardinal's biretta from the Pope's hands, Archbishop Carlos Osoro Sierra visited Radio Maria Spain's studios. The now-Cardinal Osoro greeted the radio's president, staff, and volunteers, led the Angelus, which was broadcast, and granted an interview to Father Director de Prada and the volunteer who runs the "Voice of the Bishops" program.

This is how he answered the question about how he sees our radio: "I see Radio Maria as if it were my home, among other reasons because Mary is my mother and has accompanied me my entire life... I thank Radio Maria for its commitment to proclaiming Our Lord through the Virgin Mary precisely as she did. In this sense, Radio Maria has much to do and is doing it."

Fr. Luis Fernando de Prada Director, Radio Maria Spain

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met with Archbishop Thomas Wenski of Miami, who blessed our beginning.

The systems have been installed and we are wholeheartedly participating in Mary’s beautiful project.

Fr. Emilio Garreaud Director, Radio Maria Miami

October - November - December 2016

News RADIO MARIA WF

Radio Maria in the World: News Briefs Radio Maria Ukraine activated a new frequency in Lviv, the country’s fifth largest city with its 730,000 inhabitants. This important milestone was reached thanks to the efforts of many persons, especially the continuing support of all our listeners.

After the death of Fr. Michael Ross, SDB, Radio Maria Ireland now has a new director. These past few days, Fr. Eamonn Monson travelled to Switzerland and Germany to meet with the directors of those radios and to better learn Radio Maria’s charism and mission.

Radio Maria Ukraine.

throughout the country, covering a different city each day and therefore reaching many persons.

On 12 December, the intentions that were gathered were entrusted to Our Lady thanks to the volunteers

who met at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe to celebrate the day dedicated to her.

Fr. Raymund, director Radio Maria Philippines, was in Italy where of

Fr. Michael Ross, Director RM Ireland, has Passed Away. he visited the Filipino community at a parish in Milan to promote Radio Maria’s work of evangelization together with many expatriates who have been living in Italy for years. It was a meaningful moment of sharing.

Daniele Trenca

Radio Maria Uganda (Hoima).

Radio Maria Uganda has begun work on the new studios at the Hoima substation. Through the substations located in some of the regions, Radio Maria can cross tribal boundaries, proclaiming the Word of God and of reconciliation in the language of the people.

Radio Maria Mexico created the “Roses for Mary” campaign. The initiative was aimed at all the faithful listeners who wish to support Radio Maria’s work and to send their intentions to Our Lady of Guadalupe. For weeks, many volunteers travelled

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October - November - December 2016

WF RADIO MARIA News

Radio Maria at the JPII Institute in Benin

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rom 26–28 October, World Family Africa was asked to held a seminar on evangelization in the media at the Pontifical John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and the Family in Cotonou, Benin.

The seminar was led by Paolo Taffuri, coordinator of WF Africa, Fr. Desiré Bireha, director of RM Burundi, and Christian Barrigah, editing director of RM Togo. They worked on techniques for creating educational radio programming with a focus on spirituality with 42 students from a dozen African countries.

The fruit of the seminar will be a series of programs on the family that the students

will create in the coming years and that will be available to French-speaking Radio Maria. The collaboration between Radio Maria and the JPII Institute, therefore,

will bring about high-value programming that will benefit a large number of Afri-

can listeners in the various French-speaking countries.

Paolo Taffuri

Radio Maria Switzerland’s Web Radio

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adio Maria Switzerland has a wide Digital Audio Broadcasting network (DAB+) to take advantage of. There are, however, some regions that still do not have antennas. As we didn’t want to wait, we decided to find a way to spread web radio in those areas.

Looking for the right model, we found a company that offered all the solutions we wanted. Now we have an internet and wifi radio set with Radio Maria’s logo, the choice of our station, and a remote control with an “RM” button to help listeners easily return to Radio Maria if they’ve been listening to another station.

The radios are very easy to use. We were pleased that Radio Maria France also asked us for 100 samples.

The listeners’ reactions have been very positive. Now the opportunity to listen to our radio over wifi throughout the house has been made easy.

Fr. Thomas Rellstab Director, Radio Maria Switzerland

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Periodical of the WFRM Association

Editorial Office: p. Livio Fanzaga; p. Francisco Palacios; Stefano Chiappalone; Raffaele Galati; Daniele Trenca; Michela Burdino; p. Charles Mutabaruka.

Via Rusticucci, 13 00193 Rome roma.wf@radiomaria.org www.radiomaria.org The contents of this periodical

(texts and photos) may be used in full or partially on the websites, newsletters, social networks of RM. Always mention the source “WFRM News”.