FRONT ROYAL,VA - There's always a first time for everything and this time, Christendom College gave Virginia its first Catholic radio station.
"It is a very inspiring programming, and everyday it makes you stop and think, 'where am I going in my life? Am I staying focused on what I hold dear to my beliefs?'", says Niall O'Donnell, General Manager of the radio station.
They are called WXDM 90.3 FM, and they broadcast mainly in Front Royal, but it reaches as far as Strasburg, Bentonville and Winchester.
O'Donnell says being apart of WXDM makes him feel good to know he is lending a hand to those who are in search of themselves. "It's a community service to the local community to provide quality, Catholic programming. It really encourages people and meets them where they are," says O'Donnell.
The station is 100% donor driven, despite the funding struggles it went through. While the station is mostly a talk show, it has had positive feedback from listeners.
"94%
of the listeners of Catholic radio felt motivated to be more involved in their
faith. I believe it was about 47% started going to mass church services more
regularly and around 30% actually converted or came back to the Catholic
faith," adds O'Donnell.
O'Donnell adds, "We would like to get the students involved, and start
doing some of our own programming. We have future plans to build a studio, a
real studio on campus and more than just a closet and start an internship
program."
Most of the listeners are residents of Front Royal, but O'Donnell has high hopes for the future.
