Despite shaky economy, donations to Catholic Radio Indy are increasing

By Sean Gallagher

The future is bright for Catholic Radio Indy if donations continue to grow, said Robert Teipen, the station’s chairman of the board, during its April 8 fundraising dinner in Indianapolis. (Related: EWTN host offers help to parents at Catholic Radio Dinner)

Teipen gave a report on the station, which operates wholly on donations, to the nearly 250 supporters who attended the annual dinner.

He said that donations to Catholic Radio Indy over the past year were “higher than in any 12-month period since we’ve been on the air.”

Teipen told his listeners that Catholic Radio Indy was unable to meet a March 1 deadline for a balloon payment that would have completed its purchase of the station it has been leasing since it began broadcasting in 2004.

He said that a new agreement to continue leasing the station was made that would allow for its purchase in four years. However, the monthly lease payments will be increased due to added interest payments.

“Under the circumstances, it seemed like a reasonable deal for the station so that we could keep the programming on the air as we have had without any modification,” Teipen said. “That was our prime objective.”

He shared his encouragement for the growing donations during a time of economic hardship for many people.

“When we have a period of uncertainty in charitable giving and in the economy as we have experienced recently, I find the fact that the support that we have received is very heartening,” Teipen said. “We need to continue to receive the support. We’re certainly appreciative of what you have done in the last six years. And if we continue on and build that up a little bit more, we should be able to pay off the contract in a reasonable period of time.”

Teipen, a former longtime member of St. Lawrence Parish in Indianapolis, who is now a member of St. John Vianney Parish in Fishers, Ind., in the Lafayette Diocese, also spoke about the importance of Catholic radio and how it reaches out to the broader society.

“I believe that Catholic radio is a beacon of light in our rather toxic environment,” he said. “We’re continuing to get responses from people. The ones that surprise me the most, frankly, are from non-Catholics. … I’m always amazed at how many non-Catholics there are out there listening to us and, in some cases, [they] donate.”

(To support Catholic Radio Indy, log on to www.catholicradioindy.org and click on the “Support CRI” link or call 317-870-8400, ext. 21.) †