Vatican Radio turns 75, Pope praises its service to the Gospel

Vatican City, Feb 15, 2006 / 22:00 pm

The Vatican announced today plans for an upcoming press conference which will mark 75 years of Vatican Radio and look toward the future of the influential, worldwide station.

The gathering is scheduled to be held at 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday, February 21st in the Holy See Press Office. It will be entitled "Vatican Radio at 75. New ways to serve the Church and future prospects."

Fathers Federico Lombardi S.J. and Andrzej Koprowski S.J., Vatican Radio’s respective director general and director of programs, will be on hand for the presentation, as will Sandro Piervenanzi, technical vice-director, and Pietro Cocco, head of the Vatican Radio Web Team.

Over the weekend, Pope Benedict XVI praised the station on its anniversary recalling Pope Pius XI’s first ever radio-message to the world in the 1931.  “With radio, and later with television,” the Holy Father said, “the message of the Gospel and the word of Popes have reached all peoples more rapidly and easily.”