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FAIRLESS HILLS, PA - The
Domestic Church Media Foundation has announced plans to establish a
multi-media center for Catholic evangelization in Trenton, New Jersey.
On July 18th the nonprofit
Foundation, founded by Jim and Cheryl Manfredonia in 2003, signed an
agreement with Millennium Radio New Jersey to purchase
WBUD, 1260 AM, a 5000
watt AM station which sits on 20 acres of property in Ewing Township, Mercer
County.
Upon completing the purchase sometime within the next nine months, this facility will be established as
"The Archbishop Fulton J Sheen Center for Media Evangelization" to
honor the great Catholic media pioneer (the Patron of Domestic Church
Media) and serve the the Church in the tri-State area and beyond as a
multi-media center for evangelization.
The first phase will be to give
New Jersey its first full-time Catholic radio station that will serve
central New Jersey and parts of southeastern Pennsylvania..
"This is a miracle in progress",
DCMF Co-Founder and President, Jim Manfredonia, said. "We have been
interested in WBUD for a
while. There were times that we
thought it was an impossibility. But God has brought many wonderful people
to us from all over New Jersey and New York City who believe as we do, that
we must use the media to evangelize our Faith. We have envisioned
the enormous potential this facility has as a powerful radio presence in central
New Jersey, but also as becoming a 'Catholic media hub' that will allow us
to produce various types of products and materials to evangelize the Faith. This is the New Evangelization -
this is the New Springtime in our Church", Manfredonia said. "and we must
use all of our abilities to bring the Word of God to as many souls as
possible. This will be the mission of the Sheen Center and this is the
mission of our Foundation."
In this first phase of the Sheen
Center's operation (a full-time Catholic radio station) one of the most attractive
components of WBUD's coverage are all of the major roadways that travel
through the heart of the listening area. Manfredonia pointed out that
Interstates 95, 195, 295 as well as Routes 1, 27, 31, 33, 130 and 206, all heavily
traveled, present a unique opportunity for reaching millions each day.
"On the New Jersey Turnpike alone", Manfredonia said, "between Interchanges
4 and 8-A, where the WBUD signal can be heard, the NJDOT statistics indicate
that over 30 million vehicles travel that 21 mile stretch each month.
This is incredible. Imagine what just one or two strategically placed
billboards on that highway, and the others, will do!"
Manfredonia and his wife,
Cheryl, have been strong advocates of EWTN - The Global Catholic Television and
Radio Network since the early 1990's when they worked to get their local
cable television company to carry the Catholic network. They intend to
make WBUD an official radio affiliate of Mother Angelica's network.
Also included in the
Foundation's 3 - 5 year plan is to use
WBUD as a "launching pad" for other
station purchases in New Jersey and New York creating a local Catholic radio
network in the Northeast United States where it is much needed. "As
God continues to bless us", Manfredonia said, "we will continue to do all
that we can to build up the Kingdom. We have already identified other
stations that, by God's Grace, will allow us to reach literally millions of
additional souls within the next few years. It has always been a
special prayer of Mother Angelica's to bring Catholic radio into New York City - and
I believe that if it is God's will, it will happen." Manfredonia met
Mother on two occasions in 1996 and 1998, and she expressed her desire for a
New York City station. "80% of our programming
will be from EWTN and we will produce most of the other 20% at the Sheen Center",
Manfredonia said. "We are already in touch with some wonderful priests
and lay people who want to work with us on various projects."
In addition to the main
WBUD radio
studio, the 3770 square foot building also has radio and audio production
studios as well as television production and broadcast capabilities. In the 1990's
this facility was the main studio for New Jersey FM station, 101.5 and they
would simulcast their morning drive-time programs on local cable television outlets. "It's still wired for television" Manfredonia said, "and
this fits in perfectly with the mission of the Sheen Center because it will
allow us to produce video products as well. God led
us to this particular facility for a reason, and we know why."
In February of this year
Domestic Church Media retained a professional fundraising consulting group
and began an aggressive Capital Campaign. According to Manfredonia it has been
quite successful. So successful, that DCMF is ahead of schedule.
"We could have the facility up and running and be on the air as soon as
the FCC
approves and the grant becomes final around the week
of November 1st, 2008,
if it's God's will", he said.
"The first phase of our Capital Campaign is a $3 million goal which will
allow us to secure the facility, get on the air and begin production on some
other media projects. As we now enter the public phase of the
campaign, we are hoping to reach our goals in this first phase very soon."
The Manfredonias began working
in Catholic radio at Camden station WTMR in 1995. From there they were
heard on another station in Pennsylvania. And then in 2005 they
brought Catholic radio to parts of Monmouth and Middlesex Counties in New
Jersey, and even Staten Island, New York, on a small LPFM station, 89.3.
In the 13 years that they have been broadcasting they have gained many friends and listeners. "We still get
e-mails, letters and phone calls from friends all over the tri-state area",
Manfredonia said, "and as we share our good news with them they are all very
excited about Catholic radio coming to
WBUD. We can't wait to get back
on the air. God is doing great things!"
The
WBUD purchase will be
completed by April, 2009. |
