Executive Director Jim Carroll receives ‘Faithful Warrior Award’ from EWTN
By Father Kenneth Borowiak
for the Register
"The premier Catholic radio network in the United States.”
That’s how Jack Williams, general manager of EWTN Catholic Radio described Spirit Catholic Radio (102.7FM- KVSS) at the 2024 EWTN Catholic Radio Conference held in Birmingham, Alabama Oct. 15-18.
The Catholic Radio Conference was hosted by the Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN), the largest religious media network in the world. EWTN was founded by Mother Angelica in 1981, and consists of television, radio, short wave, news wire services and publishing. The EWTN radio network includes 448 affiliates in 44 states. There are 712 Catholic radio stations nationwide and another 70 stations to be on the air soon.
Seven Spirit Catholic Radio staff and board members attended the conference.
During the conference, Spirit Catholic Radio was recognized for broadcasting for 25 years in Nebraska and parts of seven other states. They are just the fourth affiliate to be recognized for 25 years.
In the 1990s, several different groups began to plan for Catholic radio in Omaha. A group of couples who had attended a Christians Encounter Christ (CEC) weekend took the task to heart. After nearly five years of negotiations, prayer and the generosity of a few local Catholic families, Catholic Radio–KVSS–hit the airwaves. In 1999, VSS Catholic Communications, Inc. purchased a 500-watt signal from an existing local radio station and immediately began broadcasting a mix of contemporary Christian music and Catholic programming from the EWTN Radio Network on the 88.9-FM frequency. Additional programming followed from St. Joseph Communications, Catholic Answers, Ave Maria and Starboard Communications.
After broadcasting for 10 years on a small signal, VSS partnered with Kolbe Media, a group of people committed to Catholic radio in the Lincoln community and on Jan. 29, 2009, Spirit Catholic Radio purchased a new signal on 102.7-FM, and expanded to reach both the Omaha and Lincoln communities as well as more than 1.2 million potential listeners throughout eastern Nebraska and western Iowa, at 50,000 watts.
Spirit Catholic Radio added its 20th signal Oct. 15. The signal is located in Falls City and with it, brings coverage of Catholic radio to nearly 95% of the population of Nebraska.
In addition to being recognized for 25 years of broadcasting, Spirit Catholic Radio program director Jeb Eischeid accepted a broadcast award for “Best top of the hour ID.”
The highlight for Spirit Catholic Radio was Executive Director Jim Carroll receiving the “Faithful Warrior Award” from Michael Warsaw, EWTN’s chief executive officer. Given annually to a Catholic broadcaster, the award recognizes the recipient for outstanding achievement in furthering the mission of Catholic radio in the United States.
“I am very honored to be included with the list of past recipients for the Faithful Warrior Award,” Carroll said. “I thank my wife, Karol, for her support and the great team members and board at Spirit Catholic Radio for their willingness to say yes when the Lord called to do this work of evangelization.”
