Culture review: “It’s fun to be Catholic” radio show

A long time ago in a blog far, far away…I published something regarding a CD I had received entitled On This Mountain. It was the last I had heard of Bill Kassels for many months — until a CD popped up in the mail containing something most interesting: an advance review copy of a radio show to be broadcast later this month! Entitled “It’s fun to be Catholic”, the hour-long show is meant to have some gentle fun in the spirit of an old-time radio variety show.

The radio show clearly had to confront a number of serious challenges. First of all, it was filmed before a live audience, and while this clearly helped energize the lead performers (you can hear it in their voices), it does at times mean that the radio listener can feel a bit left out (laughs at things which seem to include a visual component, for example, require a lot of imagination). In essence, the performers have a real rapport with the live audience, but only a derivative rapport with the radio listener — which is normal and can’t be helped — but I will give them credit for one thing: the sound production quality is excellent, and really helps you to forget, as much as possible, that you aren’t really there. Kudos to the team for this one.

As well, I must admit that I was entertained. Yes, I even had a good chuckle now and then! Religion is, of course, something to be taken seriously, but (unfortunately) for many religious believers this seems to mean that the take *themselves* far too seriously. That is never good.

Bill Kassels, in his cover letter to me, explained that he hopes this show will be the first of many for Catholic radio. There is no question that we need more and more of a Catholic presence in mass media, and that (for this to become a reality) it will require a greater and greater quantity of quality content. Congratulations to Bill Kassels and company for doing something about it!

“It’s fun to be Catholic” will be broadcast seven times over five days: Wednesday, August 29, and Friday, August 30, at 7:00 pm; Saturday, September 1 at 2:00 pm and 8:00 pm; Sunday, September 2, at 2:00 pm and 6:00 pm; and Monday, September 3 (Labour Day), at 2:00 pm. All these broadcasts will take place on Ave Maria Radio.