Day 114: The Catholic Channel

My Best Guess: Start and end the day with contemporary Catholic talk radio, serving up guidance and inspiration through a variety of devotional programs for all people of Catholic faith

According to Sirius: With its modern talk format and open dialogue, The Catholic Channel focuses on Catholicism in the 21st Century, especially as it is lived in today’s world. The Catholic Channel addresses issues in the news and on the mind of the listeners, bringing a Catholic perspective to the world around us.

Curt's Rebuttal: I'm not just saying this out of fear of being struck down by lightning, but the paragraph above does a very clear and concise job of describing the channel. It sounds strangely open-minded...but I'd have to say that the programming I listened to was pretty damn open-minded and non-preachy.

Sample Playlist

• Speak Now, with Dave and Susan Konig: This was the show I started with on my morning drive, and it opened with the hosts talking about a segment called "What's the Worst Day You Ever Had," in which Susan describes a morning where she got a flat tire AND a $65 parking ticket(!!!). Later, they moved on to a fake interview with Led Zeppelin's Robert Plant. For some reason, their Plant impression sounded like an Old Jewish Man.
• Just Love: This program about ministry outreach featured an interview with a young woman who was a former nanny that became a paralegal through the help of Grace schools. Not sure if that was the full name or the proper name of the school, or what...and not sure if that transition was supposed to be a blessing or a curse.
• Across the Nation, with Bob Dunning: Bob told the story of Juan Diego and his run-in with Our Lady of Guadalupe, a supposed manifestation of the Virgin Mary. The appearance of Our Lady led to the establishment of a major Christian church just outside of Mexico City, while Juan eventually became a saint.
• Busted Halo, with Father Dave Dwyer: This show seemed to be focused on a younger audience, through its tone and flippant manner. It was pretty amusing as Father Dave had a lengthy conversation with one of the studio crew (she was Jewish) about the differences between their faiths.

Verdict: I have to say, I was very surprised. Of all the programming I listened to, there was none preaching the Catholic faith or conversion...they probably figured that anyone listening was already on their side. Instead, you just got some thoughtful and engaging talk programs. Still...as I'm not Catholic and can't see myself converting, I can't see myself turning here much. Would recommend it to Catholic friends, though.