Mariathon Magazine 2018 - ENG

2018

f o y o j g e n h i T z i l e g n eva

AFRICA . AMERICA . ASIA/OCEANIA . EUROPE

This publication recounts the activities and projects of Radio Maria in the world.

We live by Providence and the daily sacrifice of many people: volunteers, listeners, and benefactors.

Mariathon is the missionary event that unites our stations, drawing hearts near to one another and helping in the neediest situations.

Take part in this event to help build Radio Maria’s world Project. Thank you.

Vittorio Viccardi, WFRM President

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SUMMARY THE JOY OF EVANGELIZING 4

MARIATHON: OUR WORK GENERATES LOVE 6

OUR ASSISTANCE TO THE CHURCH 7

WORLD MARIATHON - RESULTS FROM 2017 8

A MER ICA Continuing Our Mission of Mercy 11

EU RO P E Re-evangelizing a Continent 14

AF R ICA A Mission with a Bountiful Harvest 18

ASIA, MIDDLE EA S T A N D O CEA N IA Supporting Christians so that they may remain in their native lands 22

THE IMPORTANCE OF MOBILE STUDIOS 26

SOUTH SUDANESE REFUGEE CAMPS IN UGANDA 27

© 2018 World Family of Radio Maria

graphic and project Paolo Marchetti

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THE JOY OF EVANGELIZING In our three decades at work, Radio Maria has spread over the five continents thanks to a deep love for Our Lady.

Today we are a large family, extended throughout the world.

Ours is a labor of evangelization that helps the Church bring the Gospel to all.

Fr. Livio Fanzaga WFRM Directors Advisor & RM Italia Director

Dear Friends,

T

he World Mariathon is an event of great importance in the life of Radio Maria that we are called on to participate in with enthusiasm and generosity. We must live these days with gratitude for the priceless gift that Our Lady has given us while, at the same time, we must also reflect upon our responsibilities so that the fruit it bears may be plentiful. The Mariathon is also a time of celebration because Radio Maria is a large family, spread over five continents, which allows us to experience together the joy of being children of our heavenly Mother, brothers and sisters all. If, in these thirty years of its history, Radio Maria has spread to so many parts of the world, it is because of many humble persons’ love for Our Lady, persons who have made sacrifices in order to help our Mother carry out her plan of love for the salvation of souls. Radio Maria’s great family is a wonderful example of how simple lay persons can help the Church in its task of bringing the Gospel to all of God’s children.

Looking back, we realize what extraordinary things Our Lady has achieved so far. None of us could have imagined it.

Fr. Livio Fanzaga

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However, there is still much work to be done, especially in Africa and Asia where the harvest has been abundant and there are many conversions. Radio Maria can be of great help, joining the Church and participating in its mission of evangelization. We must be immensely grateful to Our Lady for calling us to her service. In these days of the Mariathon, we must renew our commitments and generously support the new projects so that others can also receive what we ourselves have been given.

Yours truly, Fr. Livio The headquarters of Radio Maria Italy.

Here above a detail of the chapel.

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MARIATHON: OUR WORK GENERATES LOVE Over the years we have grown and now Our Lady calls us to increasingly demanding tasks. Let us share our talents so that we can reach our many brothers and sister who still may not know of God’s love.

Emanuele Ferrario First president di WF e RM Italia

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his theme expresses the underlying motivation at the heart of this coming May’s Mariathon. As you know well, the Mariathon is first and foremost a spiritual event and it is no coincidence that, during the Mariathon, many Radio Marias around the world will have a continuous exposition of the Blessed Sacrament in their chapel. This shows that our initiative is not limited to achieving concrete actions, which are certainly useful, the actions must also become bearers of love because love brings peace, serenity, and a nearness to the divine.

As the first president of the Word Family, I have seen how a small seed slowly grows into a tree. Now I rejoice in seeing that Our Lady, our inspiration and guide, calls us to ever-more challenging tasks. We must all remember that we are responding to a call, because each of us in the World Family of Radio Maria is called upon to give of our talents: the gift of faith that transforms seemingly impossible things into living realities; the gift of generosity that brings us to many unknown brothers and sisters who can then live in God’s love and in the comfort of a peaceful life. This is the joy of evangelizing in an apparently distant world, which nevertheless has a great desire for God. Hand in hand, with love in our hearts.

Emanuele Ferrario

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OUR ASSISTANCE TO THE CHURCH Many Bishops and Episcopal Conferences have turned to the World Family of Radio Maria to ask us to establish a Radio Maria in their country.

Vittorio Viccardi President of WFRM & RM Italia

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018 is going to be a busy year, full of events for the great Radio Maria family. Here and there around the world the Church calls us, recognizing the work that Radio Maria carries out in the service of evangelization and the promotion of the human person. It seems to us that Radio Maria’s great mission has just begun, even though the World Family is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year in June, and this past October we marked the 30th year of operations of Radio Maria in Italy. There is no denying our passion, but this also entails commitment and responsibility from all of us—collaborators, volunteers, and all the listeners.

Recently, more than 20 bishops have asked that Radio Maria come to their dioceses, and 4 bishops conferences have enthusiastically welcomed the establishment of a national or regional Radio Maria.

Official requests come from every continent; these are mostly from Africa, but there are also requests from the Americas and Europe. It is a big surprise that we are also receiving requests from Australia and even Asia and the Middle East.

The Church calls us to areas that have a basic need for pastoral tools and resources but also to where a daily presence is necessary to bring hope to places of suffering and persecution. It is an enormous task, both logistically and organizationally as well as in terms of human and material resources. However, these requests must first become projects in our hearts in order to create that chain of help and solidarity that is typical of our initiatives.

Mariathon 2018, therefore, invites us to contribute with our service, prayer, and material assistance to

accomplish these small works in service to Our Lady to bring enthusiasm and joy to the communities within the reach of Radio Maria’s signal.

We list here the most significant projects that we are undertaking during the month of May so that we might answer the call of the universal Church during Mariathon 2018.

We entrust these projects to Mary, our Mother, and we move forward with great faith and courage.

Vittorio Viccardi

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WORLD MARIATHON RESULTS FROM 2017

Thanks to the generosity of so many, it was possible to carry out projects supporting evangelization in many countries around the world.

Total Amount Collected 3,666,321 Euro

AFRICA The offices of Radio Maria Ghana and Zambia have been renovated and the audio and radio frequency systems and equipment have been sent and are being installed. The headquarters of Radio Maria Kenya in Nairobi is in the final stages of being completed.

Kenya

Kenya

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AMERICA

Haiti

In 2017, the Caribbean countries were hit by multiple severe weather systems. Hurricanes Irma and Maria sorely influenced the development and infrastructure of those nations.

At the same time, the ever-complex political conditions in Cuba caused the development of Radio Maria in that country to slow down in a wait for more favorable conditions.

Haiti

EUROPE Audio and radio frequency equipment was sent to and installed in Belarus and those headquarters have been renovated. At Radio Maria Slovakia, negotiations are underway for the acquisition of 22 new transmission frequencies and facilities.

Slovakia

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MIDDLE EAST

The mobile studies planned for Syria and Iraq have already been sent and are in use supporting the populations of Aleppo, Damascus, Erbil, and Baghdad. The same goes for those sent to Egypt and Jordan.

Additionally, costs for the satellite broadcasting of Radio Mariam in Arabic have been covered.

Syria

MOBILE STUDIOS Thanks to your help the number of mobile studios is increased of 103 units to support local populations in a variety of countries.

HANDHELD RADIOS More than 9,000 handheld radios have been sent to support the populations in several African nations including: Rwanda, Burundi, the Central African Republic, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

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2018

AMERICA Continuing Our Mission of Mercy.

Total 580,000 Euro P. Francisco Palacios WFRM Key Reference for America

Haiti

Brazil

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2018

HAITI

Almost 5 million Haitians suffer from the consequences of poverty in all its forms, including lack of education.

Nevertheless, their love for Our Lady of Perpetual Help has not diminished. This devotion must be cared for and cultivated so as to allow the people to find a path of human development. Today, with her radio, Our Lady makes continuous formation possible almost everywhere in the world and she will be capable of accomplishing the same in Haiti if we can count on your contribution.

Be a part of this mission.

Every year we propose a project for Haiti, where our presence would be a great blessing. Now we have decided to obtain a site, which will assist our start in the country because, if we wait for the frequency without having a physical presence, years could pass.

distribution of christianity haiti about 83.2% of around 10 million inhabitants (2003)

The expansion of Radio Maria to many environments with different cultures, languages and traditions, is good news for everyone.

Pope Francis

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2018

BRAZIL

Radio Maria is one of the most fitting instruments for entering the “cultural favelas” preventing people in Brazil from feeling Jesus’s mercy that offers the hope of a dignified life. With your contribution, Brazil will be able to offer its 200 million inhabitants Our Lady’s radio, starting from the Archdiocese of Goiânia, which has opened its doors to us. Let us join our “yes” to Mary’s “Yes” through donating generously.

Thanks to the generosity of the bishop of Goiania, who has offered us a building to restructure on extended loan as well as the availability of an excellent full-time priest.

We would like to start over in this country where we have not managed to cultivate a significant presence. We would start with digital terrestrial because the costs for frequencies are beyond our capacities.

distribution of christianity brazil about 87% of around 207 million inhabitants (2010)

HELP YOUR

RADIO MARIA PROJECT

HAITI 280,000 €

˃ study and audio frequency: 110,000 € ˃ radio frequency: 40,000 € ˃ headquarters restructuring: 90,000 € ˃ production costs: 40,000 €

BRAZIL 300,000 €

˃ construction: 150,000 € ˃ studies: 60,000 € ˃ first management: 90,000 €

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2018

EUROPE Re-evangelizing a Continent.

Total 1,203,500 Euro P. Andreas Schätzle RM Austria director

Latvia

Russia

Slovakia Kosovo Albania

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2018

EUROPE

A few years ago, one of our collaborators, Johanna, showed a special vocation for Africa. One day, Emanuele Ferrario asked her to work on building stations in Africa.

This meant that we had to let go of a valued colleague.

Together with our listeners we decided not only to send Johanna to Africa but also to support her mission for several years with the contributions of our family of Austrian listeners. The extraordinary thing was that our listeners enthusiastically gave much more than was necessary. In this way we were able to continue to grow in Austria and even help other countries. We thus become missionaries in Africa and all over the world, a work which continues today.

in Russia

about 22% of christians of around

142 million

inhabitants

If through me God helps someone today, will He not tomorrow provide for my own needs? For no one is more generous than God. Pope Francis

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2018

EUROPE

Kosovo In this country that has a strong Islamic presence, the growth of our radio is tied to expanding the signal throughout the country and sustaining our promotional activities. Expanding the headquarters, activating 2 new mobile studios and acquiring a car for promotional purposes are the urgent needs.

Albania Radio Maria Albania has obtained new frequencies in the north, in the poorest part of Albania, and needs a contribution to purchase the necessary technical equipment.

Latvia Extending our signal coverage across the country is our main goal here.

Installing a repeater on the border with Estonia (Valka) will make it possible to extend coverage—the three frequencies of Riga, Krāslava, and Liepāja cover more than 60% of the total population.

Restructuring the headquarters, which are too small for current needs, is also important. It is missing a chapel, which is the heart of every Radio Maria.

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2018

EUROPE

Russia After years of activity limited to the St. Petersburg area, we have begun to involve parishes, priests, and dioceses of other area. Bishops are offering to support Radio Maria’s presence (for example, Bishop Werth of Novosibirsk in a Siberian district). In a nation that is as large as a continent the involvement of the (few) Christians becomes essential for our radio. Technical material costs (mobile studios, new computers, studio equipment, training). Promotion must also be sustained through our presence in the land, meeting with people.

Slovakia We are currently working on acquiring a radio network that covers the nation in a capillary manner. The costs are very high and depends on help from our European radio stations.

HELP YOUR

RADIO MARIA PROJECT

ALBANIA 66,500 € ˃ technical material: 66,500 €

KOSOVO 27,000 €

˃ 2 mobile studios + seat expansion: 12,000 € ˃ promotion support: 15,000 €

LATVIA 80,000 €

˃ new repeater installation: 20,000 € ˃ headquarters restructuring: 60,000 €

RUSSIA 80,000 €

˃ technical material: 60,000 € ˃ promotion support: 20,000 €

SLOVAKIA 950,000 €

˃ investment in equipment: 150,000 € ˃ operating costs: 200,000 € ˃ radio acquisition: 600,000 €

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2018

AFRICA A Mission with a Bountiful Harvest.

Total 1,435,000 euro Paolo Taffuri WFRM Africa Coordinator

Togo

Central African Republic

Ivory Coast

Malawi

Angola Mozambique

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2018

AFRICA

The 2018 Mariathon gives us the opportunity to expand four stations that are already in operation as well as to set up an entirely new one.

In the Ivory Coast, after having developed a network in Yamoussoukro, Dimbokro, and Man, we finally have the opportunity to cover part of the city of Abidjan, which has over 4 million inhabitants.

In Malawi there is also almost total coverage of the country, with its 10 frequencies and headquarters in the diocese of Mangochi.

Now the natural next step is to build a new site. Being in the capital would mean even better service for the national Church and local communities.

In Mozambique, the bishop of Quelimane has requested Radio Maria’s presence. We currently cover only the capital and the southern part of the country with our 6 frequencies there. To accommodate Quelimane’s local language we have to set up a regional station.

Ivory Coast Radio Maria is present in the capital city Yamoussoukro, in Dimbokro, and in Man but we are still absent from the country’s most important city, Abidjan. A priest has offered us the opportunity to start up a repeater in Alépé, to the east of the city, which we immediately accepted.

Mozambique The station needs to expand beyond the capital and historic section where a local language is spoken to open up to becoming a national radio. The start-up is projected in the Diocese of Quelimane, which has a large Catholic presence.

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2018

AFRICA Togo The bishop of Atakpamé has handed his diocesan radio over to the Radio Maria Project and, with that acquisition, Togo is almost completely covered.

In the Central African Republic, we have been asked to expand Radio Maria in order to better contribute to the formation of the people and the nation’s peace-building process after the war of the past several years.

In Togo, the bishop of Atakpamé asked that his diocese’s radio station become part of the Radio Maria Togo network. It will, therefore, be necessary to modernize the current studio and broadcasting station.

A large project was requested and initiated in Angola, an African nation that has a grand Catholic tradition, in collaboration with the Diocese of Viana, which is close to the capital city, Luanda. The plan calls for construction of a headquarters and establishment of the station, then expansion in the various dioceses that have already expressed a desire to bring Radio Maria to their people.

Malawi If we want this station to regain its past momentum we must move the headquarters from the small city of Mangochi to the capital city, Lilongwe. The land has already been purchased.

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2018

AFRICA Central African Republic Radio Maria needs to grow in this country and not limit ourselves to the capital city, Bangui. This is why we are going to install a secondary site in a diocese that has acceptable safety conditions.

Angola We have received a request from the bishop of Viana, a suffragan diocese of the archdiocese of the capital city Luanda. We are awaiting the assignment of an FM frequency that will cover a pool of 5 million inhabitants.

At the same time, it seems that the current telecommunications law has changed, and now other dioceses have expressed interest in joining Viana. The country is deeply Catholic, enjoying an evangelization that was begun centuries ago with the arrival of the Portuguese.

HELP YOUR

RADIO MARIA PROJECT

ANGOLA 500,000 €

MOZAMBIQUE 70,000 €

˃ construction: 290,000 € ˃ radiofrequency materials: 30,000 € ˃ radiofrequency materials: 60,000 € ˃ audiofrequency materials: 40,000 € ˃ audiofrequency materials: 150,000 €

MALAWI 600,000 €

CENTR. REP. 65,000 €

˃ radiofrequency materials: 40,000 € ˃ construction: 450,000 € ˃ audiofrequency materials: 25,000 € ˃ audiofrequency materials: 150,000 €

IVORY COAST 80,000 €

TOGO 120,000 €

˃ headquarters restructuring: 30,000 € ˃ radiofrequency materials: 30,000 € radiofrequency materials: 40,000 € ˃ ˃ audiofrequency materials: 40,000 € ˃ audiofrequency materials: 60,000 €

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2018

ASIA, MIDDLE EAST AND OCEANIA Supporting Christians so that they may remain in their native lands.

Total 762,000 euro Joseph Nassar WFRM Key Reference for Asia and Oceania

Papua New Guinea

Nazareth

India

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2018

MIDDLE EAST

2% Christians in Israel

Our Nazareth project completes Radio Maria’s presence in the Arab Christian world. Last year we started broadcasting in the land of Abraham, with a project in Erbil in the region historically known as Mesopotamia (today’s Iraq).

Nazareth (Israel) We have realized that this region needs a Catholic radio, which gives hope to the Catholic community that does not have any local reference point. Additionally, it will allow us to transmit ceremonies from the Basilica throughout the world.

“Since its founding, Radio Maria has aimed to help the Church in the work of evangelization.”

Pope Francis

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2018

INDIA

Another request has come from the bishop of Vijayawada in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India. Radio Maria India has already been evangelizing there for five years via a website in Kerala in malayalam.

Radio Maria has been present for years in the city of Kochi in Kerala state but now the bishop of Vijavawada, in Andhra Pladesh state, has called on us to start a Radio Maria in his diocese. Given that this is a country of 1,324 million inhabitants and few Catholics, we believe that it is good to open up new possibilities for development.

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2018

PAPUA NEW GUINEA

Finally, we turn to Papua New Guinea where—for 13 years—we have tried to reach the entire country with a national frequency covering the major cities. Now it is urgent that we build a new headquarters on land that has generously been conceded to us by the archdiocese of the capital city, Port Moresby.

Mary, Guiding star of evangelization, be with us. Be with Radio Maria as guide and be its protector.

Prayer for Radio Maria Saint John Paul II

HELP YOUR

RADIO MARIA PROJECT

INDIA 42,000 €

˃ audiofrequency material: 30,000 € ˃ first year of activity: 12,000 €

NAZARETH 270,000 €

˃ headquarters restructuring: 60,000 € ˃ studies: 120,000 € ˃ first year of activity: 90,000 €

PAPUA NEW GUINEA 450,000 € ˃ headquarter construction: 450,000 €

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2018

THE IMPORTANCE OF MOBILE STUDIOS Angelo Figurelli Vice President RM Italia

This is to recognize all the Radio Maria volunteers for their commitment to and love shown for their work. Every day we see the dedication and faith with which they respond to this call to evangelize.

A vital part of this missionary work is carried out by our mobile studios, “bridges of grace”. They create a bridge uniting all our listeners via the

airwaves. Without this host of those who love Our Lady, ready to make all kinds of sacrifices, Radio Maria as we know it would not exist. It is thanks to them that our listeners can join in the prayers of the Church (the Rosary, Mass, Lauds, and Vespers), which are broadcast daily from different locations, creating a communion of millions of souls lifting their prayers to the Lord.

In 2017, a smaller number of mobile studios were distributed than planned so the initiative needs to continue in 2018.

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2018

SOUTH SUDANESE REFUGEE CAMPS IN UGANDA A refugee camp for the Sudanese on the southern border with Uganda.

This project involves over 500,000 people and envisions the construction of a broadcasting studio. The programming will be overseen by a South Sudanese priest assisted by other priests. In order to reach the hearts of all the refugees, we are planning to distribute special handheld radios that are equipped with solar panels to address the lack of access to electrical outlets.

HELP YOUR

RADIO MARIA PROJECT

REFUGEE CAMP 100,000 €*

˃ building construction: 30,000 € ˃ audiofrequency: 30,000 € ˃ radiofrequency: 40,000 €

*Excluded from the total number are the considerable costs of the hand-held radios outfitted with solar panels for over 500,000 refugees.

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RADIO MARIA IN THE WORLD

over

500 million

people reached by our signal thanks to

1,925

AM, FM, and DAB Radio repeaters 28 Radio stations 331 mobile studios 21 languages of transmission 1,364 repeaters 6 Radio stations 35 mobile studios 8 languages of transmission 13 repeaters

5 Radio stations 16 mobile studios 3 languages of transmission 21 repeaters 17 Radio stations 95 mobile studios 3 languages of transmission 433 repeaters

21 Radio stations 83 mobile studios 31 languages of transmission 94 repeaters

560

mobile studios around the world

21,000

hours of broadcasts abroad

78

Radio Maria

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look for YOUR Radio Maria and support our projects in the world!

www.radiomaria.org FOR MORE INFO:

info.wf@radiomaria.org

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