Catholic Transcript Online

Ivor Hugh, program director, prepares for evening show

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BLOOMFIELD – For as long as many listeners can remember, WJMJ radio has been “your ecumenical station, a service of the Catholic Archdiocese of Hartford,” according to a tagline intoned in a smooth, baritone voice.

It’s the religious programming that lately has come under a microscope. The tagline you are more likely to hear these days is, “Catholic radio, where faith meets life.” But published reports that some Protestant programming is being canceled has confused many people, archdiocesan sources said.

In a story published in The Hartford Courant April 27, Father John Gatzak, executive director of the archdiocesan Office of Radio and Television, was quoted as saying, “The identity of the station will be Catholic, yes, but that does not mean we will not reach out to other Christian denominations to invite them to participate.”

The Rev. Shelly D.B. Copeland, president and chief executive officer of the Capitol Region Conference of Churches and host of one of WJMJ’s programs, told the Courant that she met with Father Gatzak, who explained why the format is changing.

“I understand their why, because there is no other Catholic radio station,” Rev. Copeland told the Courant. “It would be poor stewardship of ministry on the part of the Catholic Church not to care about their priority audience. That’s their bottom-line job.”

There are various Protestant radio stations available in Connecticut.

Just how the new formatting will all shake out is not known yet, but a station executive said changes will probably be complete by mid- to late-May. It is not expected to result in the cancellation of all Protestant programming, Father Gatzak said in the Courant story.

The Courant also reported that Father Gatzak plans to meet with Protestant leaders to discuss the creation of “truly ecumenical” programming.

Father Gatzak, who is leading a pilgrimage to Poland, could not be reached before The Transcript went to press.

Broadcasting from the Archdiocesan Center at St. Thomas Seminary in Bloomfield, WJMJ features classical, easy listening and religious programming.

WJMJ was founded in 1976 by then-Archbishop John F. Whealon. It broadcasts on 88.9 FM (Hartford), 93.1 FM (Hamden) and 107.1 FM (New Haven).