The following story first appeared in the Winter 2005 Glenmary Challenge.
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Sharing Catholic Faith on the 'Voice of West Virginia'
New pastor seizes opportunity to use radio in his home mission ministry.

ON THE AIR: Jerry Stock (right) in the broadcast booth at WVOW in Logan, W.Va., with Father Tom Charters.

When Father Tom Charters was assigned as pastor of Glenmary’s three missions in Logan County, W.Va., last spring, he wasn’t expecting to become a radio personality or a radio programmer. But now, less than a year into his new job, he has become both.

Shortly after Father Tom arrived he was alerted that a half-hour of prime radio time (from 12-12:30 on Sunday afternoons) was available on WVOW (AM and FM)—the ABC affiliate known as the “voice of West Virginia.” Jerry Stock, an announcer at the station and a member of St. Francis of Assisi, the Glenmary mission in the town of Logan, encouraged Father Tom to secure this time slot, which follows the live broadcast of a service from a local Protestant church, for a Catholic message. (Jerry and his wife are both converts.) All Father Tom had to do was come up with the programming—and the money to pay for the time!

A call to Glenmary’s Communications Office put Father Tom in touch with the Catholic Communications Campaign (CCC) at the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. This office, with money from the annual CCC collection, develops quality radio and TV programs that can be picked up free by local stations.

From the various resources available, Father Tom decided that the American Catholic Radio programs produced for the CCC by St. Anthony Messenger Press best fit his needs. The format includes a call-in question-and-answer period, “Living Our Faith” and “Exploring Our Faith” segments, a “Minute Meditation” and a “Saints for Our Times” quiz.

The money? Father Tom checked with the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston to see if they had any funds available for his radio outreach. Much to his surprise he was quickly notified that he was being awarded a $4,000 grant to buy the required time for one year. The diocese was delighted, he was told, to have this evangelization opportunity in a part of the diocese with few Catholics. Each segment carries the tagline: “Sponsored by the Catholic Churches of Logan County.”

In addition to arranging for this Sunday programming, Father Tom is on the radio himself every sixth week for a five-minute meditation from 11:25 to 11:30 a.m. each weekday. He shares this spot with ministers from six other local Christian churches.