Described as a tool for spreading the good news of the gospel, Dominica Catholic Radio was officially launched at a ceremony on Sunday afternoon.
Among dignitaries who attended were President of Dominica His Excellency, Eluid Williams and Mrs. Williams, Minister for Community Development and Ecclesiastical Affairs, Gloria Shillingford, Minister for Information, Ambrose George, Bishop of Roseau Gabriel Malzaire, among others.
Quoting from a document penned at the Second Vatican Council, Bishop Malzaire said the radio station will be fulfilling church’s ‘birthright’ in spreading the gospel to all. “In the very first chapter of that document the Fathers (of the church) made the following assertion, ‘The Catholic Church was founded by Christ our Lord to bring salvation to all men. It feels obliged therefore to preach the gospel,'” he noted.
He went on to say the church believes it must employ all means of social communication to announce the good news of salvation. “It is the church’s birthright to use any and own these medium which are necessary or useful for the formation of Christians and for pastoral activities,” he said.
Bishop Malzaire said the bishops of the Antilles heeded the call as far back and 1986 when Voice of the Islands was founded. However, he said poor reception in some of the islands curtailed regional support and funding agencies began pulling back and Dominica alone could not carry the brunt of the mounting expenses and operations closed down in 1995.
He described Dominica Catholic Radio as a ‘resurgence’ of what the Catholic and Christian community in Dominica is familiar with as regard the transmission of the gospel through the electronic media. “The church in the Diocese of Roseau has always seen the need to make Christ better known through this medium,” he pointed out.
The bishop said the Catholic Church in Dominica is embarking on the radio station venture “with new hope and enthusiasm.”
Director of Dominica Catholic Radio, Monsignor William John Lewis, said the station is not a commercial one and is ‘listener sponsored.’ “It means everyone who hears it has to think this is my radio and I have to put my money into it,” he said. “We also devised a group that I coined the Dominica Catholic Radio Guardian Angels. Those are people who will give annual pledges or semi-annual pledges, so that we continue to have a base of funding for the Catholic station.”
Monsignor John Lewis said apart from spreading the gospel there will be programmes that focus on justice, health, counselling, and “other programmes that touch the life of our people.”
The station is governed by a board of directors with Bishop Malzaire as president, Msgr. John-Lewis as director, Nazarene Gordon as manager and several volunteers.
It can be heard on 96.1 on the FM frequency or on http://dominicacatholicradio.org/ and channel 94 on Marpin 2k4.
Listeners can tune in as far south as Scotts Head and Colihaut in the west.
May Almighty God our Father be praised for this-blessing on the land of Dominica.May God bless our Land with countless recitation of the Rosary from Catholic Radio.
Best wishes on this new venture.
Does it mean that catholics from Scotts Head to Colihaut will have to reach deeper into their pockets to support the radio station? And,does Dominica really need a Minister in charge of Eclessiastical Affairs?
you don’t release my comments ever. go to hell..i am unsubscribing with immediate effect…..mal
Catholic Radio? timely, hope it help to heal the nation. Where there`s no prayer the people perish. Good luck catholic Radio? hope all faith are welcome at Catholic Radio”.?
If the payers will be the rolling of rosary beads, and praying to saints rather than talking to the creator God Jehovah in the name of his Son Jesus Christ, the rosary shall have no effect!
Hale Mary full of grace as we read in the Bible was never intended to be said as paying. When Jesus disciples ask him to teach them how to pray, he taught them the ” Our father which art in heaven.” And even that prayer was intended only for his disciples of that day, and not for us believers today.
Jesus never instructed any to pray to his mother, however, he told us anything we want to pray to his father in heaven in his name believing we will receive it, and it will be given to us!
There is nothing wrong about saying the our Father prayer, but all you will receive is your daily bread, and no more.
The Bible teaches that when we pray we should go into our bed chamber and close the door, and ask whatever we want from our father who is in heaven.
The above are not direct quotes, nevertheless, interesting people Catholic or regardless of whom you are, you can read and learn from the Bible, thus one will not be burdened with false religious teachings and vain payers!
The rolling of rosary beads and praying to the Virgin Marry cannot heal any nation!
Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
My padna, get a reality check…and get glasses to read your Bible…you’re reading it like a fundamentalist and not like a child of God
I sympathize with you guy, there is sooooo much you don’t know. I trust the Mother of Our God will lead you to Him
someone needs to check on the possible effects that this new stations transmission is having on DBS’ 88.1 frequency because it has been very patchy all day.
But the station’s been on since last year…why would it only interfere with DBS now?
Congrats Msgr John Lewis…
hope it will not be politicized, i say this because i saw a politician on the frontline
HERE WE GO LISTEN TO CATHOLIC RADIO !!!!!
Good news. Spread the word of God. Real breath of Fresh Air. VOI did great things and was very good. Better is expected this time around. Congrats to the Catholic Community and to all those who made it possible to have the station up and running. May the goodLord bless all those who in one way or the other are associated with this fine achievement. Kudos again.
congrats
thumbs down? hmmm, must be some naive/hypocritical religion or atheist