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American Catholic Radio

American Catholic Radio (ACR) is designed to help you know your faith, so you can grow in your faith.

It's a weekly half-hour of information and inspiration, in the popular style of the Franciscans. Each week’s ACR draws its inspiration from the liturgical season, current events and enduring Catholic topics.

Our goal is to be both timely and timeless. Here you'll find the wisdom of the saints, the rich tradition of the Church's liturgy and practice, moments of reflection, daily lived faith of modern Catholics and the thoughts of contemporary Church leaders and thinkers--all presented in harmony with Church teaching. Each program is built around two extended interviews. Other segments offer continuing features.

Recent Programs

	#13-22 (May, 27, 2013) Understanding human religious experience.

	#13-21 (May, 20, 2013) The many ways in which we learn our faith.

	#13-20 (May, 13, 2013) The Christian family is our first schoolroom.
	For more programs, go to our AMERICAN CATHOLIC RADIO ARCHIVES.

Disciples Called to Witness

United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
American Catholic Radio, Disciples Called to Witness is funded in part by the Catholic Communication Campaign of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

What's in our Program?

Our featured segments change periodically. Currently, ACR features the following segments:

		Saint of the Week Lively monologues presented by accomplished actors Kim Wessendarp and Franciscan Father Dan Anderson focus on the human qualities of holy men and women throughout Church history.

		Sharing Faith To evangelize others we must first reflect our Catholic faith in our everyday lives. Producer Judy Zarick introduces us to real-life Catholics who put Church teaching into practice every day.

		Call to Discipleship The New Evangelization invites us all to enter into relationship with Jesus Christ and the members of his Church. Our United States Conference of Catholic Bishops guides us in realizing and accepting this call through the questions of segment co-hosts Matt Wielgos and Sharon Cross.

		Catholic Treasure Each week ACR Presents Disciples Called to Witness draws from the wealth of Church tradition for something old or new that helps us better appreciate our Catholic identity. Presented by voice personality Christopher Holmes

		Discovering Faith Meet authors, speakers, and influential Church leaders as they discuss the rich array of Catholic teachings and practices with segment host John Feister.

Meet American Catholic Radio

		Sharon Cross “Saint of the Week,” “Catholic Treasure,” and “Discovering Faith” segment producer; “Call to Discipleship” voice talent Sharon Cross was educated by the Ursulines of Cincinnati in high school and by the Jesuits at Fordham University in New York. A Benedictine Oblate of Indiana’s Saint Meinrad Archabbey, she also has studied liturgy and scripture at the Athenaeum of Ohio. Sharon has been with Franciscan Media since 1997, and she brings over 20 years of professional public relations and volunteer parish RCIA experience to her current Media Productions responsibilities.

		John Feister “Discovering Faith” interviewer John Feister is editor-in-chief of St. Anthony Messenger and other periodicals at Franciscan Media. He brings his journalistic experience to our radio ministry, interviewing faith formation experts for “Discovering Faith.” Married and the father of three sons, John is a graduate of the University of Dayton and holds master’s degrees in humanities and theology from Xavier University, Cincinnati.

		Matt Wielgos Executive producer; “Call to Discipleship” segment producer and voice talent Executive producer; “Call to Discipleship” segment producer and voice talent Matt Wielgos leads the Franciscan Media Productions team. He has a wide experience in video production as well as radio and audiobook production. In addition to overseeing American Catholic Radio, Matt has been instrumental in establishing Franciscan Media's Catholic Update On Demand subscription video service. Most recently he has produced, directed and edited the video release Catholic Update Guide to the New Evangelization: Disciples Called to Witness. Matt enjoys life with his wife and six children.

		Judy Zarick Host and “Sharing Faith” segment producer; producer for Media Productions Services Judy Zarick is a native of Indiana. After graduating from Indiana University with a double major in Telecommunications and Spanish, she moved to Cincinnati and worked in corporate video production as editor, producer and director. Judy has been a part of the Franciscan Media family for the past 18 years, working in both video and radio production, where she has produced music videos, faith-formation programs and the popular Lenten Radio Retreat and Advent and Christmas Radio Retreat series for radio. Judy authored the book Moved by Faith: Stories from American Catholic Radio highlighting some of her many radio interviews. She is happily married with four wonderful children.

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