Relevant Radio has a remarkable evangelical mission and unique Legatus connection . . .
Janet Quinn was at the end of her rope.
Recently unemployed, divorced and facing severe problems with her adult children, she decided to end her own life. Quinn turned on the radio before taking sleeping pills, hoping to find soft music to accompany her final moments. She inadvertently tuned in to Relevant Radio.
“The words she heard were from Drew Mariani, one of our hosts,” explained Linda Ruf, a Relevant Radio board member and member of Legatus’ Chicago Chapter. “Drew said, ‘If you think things are hopeless, they’re not. God put you here in this world for a reason.’”
Quinn (not her real name) instantly realized that God wanted her to live. She threw out the pills and eventually sent a letter to Relevant Radio, thanking them for saving her life. The network’s staff receives letters every day — letters requesting prayers, testimonials about prayers answered, and thanks for the strength listeners receive through this unique radio network.
Unique mission
While most American Catholic radio stations rely on pre-recorded programs, Relevant Radio produces 12 hours of live talk radio daily, Monday through Friday. This allows the network’s hosts to comment on major events as they happen.
“When the shootings happened at Sandy Hook, we changed all our programming to focus on the tragedy,” Ruf said. “We were interviewing priests and psychologists shortly after the news hit.”
Relevant Radio thrives on breaking news, but John Feltl says it still focuses on its core audience — Catholics commuting to work.
A Relevant Radio board member and Legate from the Twin Cities Chapter, Feltl explains: “There has been a decline in the number of Catholics participating in the Mass, but there is no decline in the number of Catholics sitting in their cars stuck in traffic.”
The network’s executive director Fr. Francis “Rocky” Hoffman concurs. “Radio is the most cost-effective way to carry out the New Evangelization and reach millions of people. This is the modern Aeropagus.”
New Evangelization
Catholic radio has come a long way in the last 15 years. In 2000, there were only a handful of Catholic stations, while today there are 250.
Based in Green Bay, Wis., Relevant Radio is now in its 13th year of operation. The company owns 13 stations and provides programming to 21 affiliates. Most Relevant stations are in the Midwest, though it also own stations in Austin, Texas, and Providence, R.I. Its programs are heard around the world in 108 countries online and on mobile devices. Relevant Radio plans to continue buying stations and working with affiliates. The company expects to purchase a station in New York City in the near future.
“Our national listening audience over 34 stations is at 200,000 souls — five hours a week, listening six times a day, for 11 minutes at a time,” said Fr. Hoffman.
“The network has a spiritual director that people can call and ask questions about the faith,” said Ruf. “Sheila Liaugminas talks about bioethics, politics, and immigration reform. We have been talking about Pope Francis, giving people clarity about what he is saying. We teach people how to live their faith more. We teach them about doctrine, virtues, how to live business ethics and how to strengthen marriage.”
Relevant Radio even has a monthly program for teenagers. Monsignor Stuart Swetland hosts the program live from local high school auditoriums.
“I overheard my teenage son talking with a few of his friends one day about same-sex ‘marriage.’ One kid used an argument he heard on Relevant Radio. So I know that teenagers are listening,” said Ruf.
Father Hoffman noted that Relevant Radio uses an “infallible” business and spiritual fundraising model.
“We raise money on our knees,” he said. “We pray four rosaries a day. We make an annual pilgrimage to the Oratory of St. Joseph in Montreal, and we do four pledge drives a year.”
During the last four years, Relevant Radio has raised $10 million per year.
Legatus connection
“When we first heard about Legatus, we thought we were too busy to get involved,” said Ruf. “Then Fr. Rocky asked us to go to a Legatus Summit and represent Relevant Radio. We were floored by the quality of the people and the piety.”
Ruf soon realized that the missions of Legatus and Relevant Radio are nearly identical. “We inform and educate,” she said. “We meet people where they are at.”
Eight of Relevant’s board members are Legates, another emeritus board member is a Legatus member, and the network’s three founders are members.
The most invigorating thing for the Legatus members who work at Relevant Radio is to hear testimonies from listeners, Feltl said. “We get 90,000 prayer requests a year — and we pray for all of them,” he explained. “The No. 1 prayer request is for adult children to come back to Church.”
Tom Vorpahl is Relevant Radio’s CEO and a member of Legatus’ Green Bay Chapter.
“My wife was a listener, and then she became a volunteer,” he said. “I remember she asked me once to take pledge calls. I could just feel the impact that the Holy Spirit was having. There’s a reason why people call and donate. Each shared how the network had changed their lives.”
Some share how they had left the Church for years and then come back because of Relevant Radio. Others had battled drugs. Still others had marriage problems. In every case, Relevant’s programming had strengthened them.
In the future, Relevant Radio hopes to stretch from coast to coast.
“We want to feed people daily so that they are strong enough to change the culture,” Fr. Hoffman explained. “Because either we change the culture or the culture changes us. Relevant Radio is that daily strength to enable you to carry Christ into the middle of the world.”
SABRINA ARENA FERRISI is Legatus magazine’s senior staff writer.