Radio Maria

Its first broadcast facility was from a parish in Arcellasco d'Erba (province of Como, Italy), but in 1987 it became a separate entity outside its home parish as an association of lay people and priests as Radio Maria Italia. In less than five years, it grew into a national Catholic radio network throughout Italy. Though not directly connected with the Roman Catholic hieratchy, it was founded as an instrument of the Church and as a tool for evangelization, implementing and adhering to the teachings of the Church. It was inspired by the Marian apparitions at Fátima, Portugal, (and in more recent years in Medjugorje), pleading for worldwide conversion. As such, Radio Maria is not subsidized or funded by the Roman Catholic Church; instead it is underwritten by listener contributions.

In 1994, the principal founder don M. Galbiati left Radio Maria and founded Radio Mater, also in Arcellasco d'Erba, as a totally separate entity. Since 5 September 1994 transmissions started in Albavilla in the province of Como. The Liturgy of the Hours is diffused in the Roman Rite. Radio Mater is broadcast via radio in Italy, in Europe via satellite (DVB-S Hot Bird), and worldwide via Internet (WMP).

The World Family of Radio Maria was formed in 1998 out of its subsequent international growth in the 1990s, and pursuant to the 1987 speech by Pope John Paul II in St Peter's Square addressing the need for a new evangelization. Emanuele Ferrario (inspired by the Pope's words to form a new evangelization) is the founder and president of Radio Maria, Inc., which has since grown into an association of 40 multilingual broadcast operations in Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and the Americas. Overall, Radio Maria operates approximately 1,500 radio transmitters worldwide.

Programming mostly consists of traditional Catholic worship music, but some stations also air a mix of traditional and contemporary Catholic music, along with various talk and teaching programs discussing the Catholic faith, frequent recitals of the Holy Rosary, novenas, and Masses.

Radio Maria's programming mostly emanates from one centrally located studio or station in a given region or country, and is then re-broadcast (or "simulcast") on a network of repeater transmitters on the AM and FM bands. Some employ the use of a subcarrier, also known as SCA (for "Subsidiary Communications Authority") facilities of FM stations, requiring the use of a receiver designed to receive SCA signals. Since the emergence of the internet, audio-streaming has been used extensively as a means to help fill in gaps left by the unavailability of AM or FM frequencies in metropolitan areas already taken up by commercial, public, or other religious broadcasters.

Starting in June 2008, there have been shortwave transmissions originating from Italy at 26,000 kHz and at 26,010 kHz DRM making it the only (and last) shortwave service originating in Italy besides Vatican Radio.[5] There are presently no commercial satellite radio subscription services (such as Sky Digital, Sirius or XM) of Radio Maria. However, its Spanish-language, Italian-language, and Polish-language stations may be available in some areas served by the Dish Pronto division of Dish Network, a satellite television subscription service.

• Blessed Virgin Mary
• Christian radio
• Contemporary Catholic music
• List of religious radio stations
• Roman Catholic Church

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Radio Maria.

• World Family of Radio Maria