![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/210127080254-77b2a0bf2510047709c86794a8f71962/v1/42bbba3898fda21944dfc657b437e48f.jpg?width=720&quality=85%2C50)
2 minute read
What is Radio Maria? (Vittorio Viccardi
What is Radio Maria? Our contribution to the Universal Church
From a parish radio to the most widespread Catholic radio station in the world: how we have come to this point today.
Advertisement
Emanuele Ferrario
WFRM Former President
As the former president, I am often urged to recall the history of the Radio Maria project and I am happy to respond, even if my residual energies are aimed at helping our young collaborators grow this luxuriant tree that is Radio Maria in the world today.
They story is well-known. In 1983, it was a parish radio called Radio Maria. In 1987, in a last gasp effort, Radio Maria joined with a non-profit association, foreswore advertising, and confidently embraced Divine Providence. Its a wide-spread network created to help evangelizing and to convert people. In terms of repeating towers, is unparalleled even today, after thirty years. The first look beyond Italy’s borders, in 1992, brought the Radio Maria signal to Italians living in the United States, then the first response to a request in Africa in 1993 to Burkina Faso. In 1995, our sight was widened by a request from Peru, followed by Malta, Mozambique, Tanzania, Uganda, Chile, Colombia, Argentina, Germany, Croatia, Togo, Russia, and Guatemala, which were the cofounders of the World Family of Radio Maria born on 3 June 1998.
VII World Conference of Radio Maria – 2018
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/210127080254-77b2a0bf2510047709c86794a8f71962/v1/13017c40ebd1d1efba181e78393df9b3.jpg?width=720&quality=85%2C50)
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/210127080254-77b2a0bf2510047709c86794a8f71962/v1/4b35f724d42700dac9c04550b27eeb35.jpg?width=720&quality=85%2C50)
Radio Maria Italy has done its job as the Mother Radio and will continue to do so over time, because the seed has sprouted into a tree that still needs much care. Today, the fifteen twigs have become twenty-one large branches, added to which are the nineteen African offshoots that are broadcast in local languages, bringing our number to a good one hundred priest directors. This certainly is not our merit because it was the Blessed Virgin to conceive this project with all the support of the Holy Trinity. We have done our part with our commitment, and I would like to remind you, dear listeners, that each of you responds to a call in Radio Maria.
Let’s look ahead to help the Holy Church. We are its worker bees.
Next steps: AFRICA Nigeria - Zimbawe Cabo Verde - Benin
THE AMERICAS Honduras - Haiti - Puerto rico
![](https://assets.isu.pub/document-structure/210127080254-77b2a0bf2510047709c86794a8f71962/v1/19046bb0d3abc3b0b82d4ee6708cd595.jpg?width=720&quality=85%2C50)