We invite you to join us by listening and growing in your Catholic faith. We are listener-supported. On December 3, 2018.
Catholic Radio Ministry
Catholic Spirit Radio, WSPI, 89.5 FM, serves Bloomington-Normal and McLean County, Illinois. We have been broadcasting Catholic radio programming since March 9, 2011. In 2017, we added translator W223CA, 92.5 FM, to provide a better signal to the Bloomington-Normal community. we added station WPJC, 88.3 FM in Pontiac, Illinois, to our growing network. On May 1, 2019, we be
gan broadcasting from translator W246CO, 97.1 FM in Lincoln, IL. On December 29, 2021, we began broadcasting from translator W206CE, 89.1 FM in DeKalb, IL. On October 27, 2022, we added station WUON, 89.3 FM in Morris, IL which broadcasts in Grundy County and surrounding counties. On September 20, 2023, we added station WYWL, 88.9 FM which broadcasts in Rockford and surrounding areas. On May 30, 2024, we began broadcasting on WQOT, 88.3 FM in Clinton, IL. Then on June 17, 2024, 88.3 FM was able to broadcast also in Decatur and Wapella, IL. Some parts of Wapella, IL can also tune into our radio station on 89.5 FM. On July 31, 2024, we began broadcasting on W202CF, 88.3 FM in Champaign, IL. On January 29, 2025, we began broadcasting on WTHX, 89.3 FM in Whitewater, WI. On August 27, 2025, we added W233AD, 94.5 FM, so we can broadcast in the rest of Rockford, IL. We have over 1.5 million potential listeners. Our network broadcasts EWTN radio programming along with a variety of in-house productions and programs from other networks. We currently hold 8 Construction permits from the FCC to build more stations and are constantly looking for new opportunities to expand. Catholic Spirit Radio is independently owned and operated by the laity in a fashion that is consistent with the Catholic faith. We are an EWTN affiliate and invite you to join us by listening and growing in your Christian faith. We are a listener supported 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that is legally known as 2820 Communications, Inc. This network was created in response to Pope St. John Paul II's call for the laity to take co-responsibility in the spreading of God's Word through the catechetical and evangelical work of the Church. It broadcasts to the Diocese of Peoria with the approval of Bishop Louis Tylka. Catholic Spirit Radio's two-fold mission is to deepen the knowledge of Catholics and to share the goodness, truth, and beauty of the True Faith in order to bring others to Christ through the Catholic Church. Our goal is to catechize Catholics and evangelize Christians of other faith traditions, the unchurched, and non-believers relying on Holy Scripture, Sacred Tradition, and the Magisterium of the Catholic Church as the pillar and bulwark of truth (cf. 1 Timothy 3:15). Please help us continue to broadcast by sending a gift today! Click the Give Online link at www.catholicspiritradio.com to give via credit or debit card, or mail your donation to: Catholic Spirit Radio, 108 Boeykens Place, Normal, IL 61761. Thank you for all your prayers and financial support.
09/09/2025
Tuesday, September 9, 2025
The Memorial of St. Peter Claver
Encouraged to become a missionary to Spanish colonies, St. Peter Claver traveled to Cartagena, South America, with the sole purpose of bringing material aid and eternal salvation to the African slaves. Because of the language barriers, he used pictures depicting Catholic truths and let his actions of generosity – giving food & drink to the slaves & visiting them in sickness – speak for him. Miraculous occurrences were attributed to him. By the time he died in 1654, he had baptized and taught the faith to more than 300,000 slaves. At his canonization Pope Leo XIII declared him patron of all Roman Catholic missions to African peoples.
09/08/2025
09/08/2025
Saint of the Day for September 8, 2025
Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
The Church has celebrated Mary’s birth since at least the sixth century. A September birth was chosen because the Eastern Church begins its Church year with September. The September 8 date helped determine the date for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception on December 8.
Scripture does not give an account of Mary’s birth. However, the apocryphal Protoevangelium of James fills in the gap. This work has no historical value, but it does reflect the development of Christian piety. According to this account, Anna and Joachim are infertile but pray for a child. They receive the promise of a child who will advance God’s plan of salvation for the world. Such a story, like many biblical counterparts, stresses the special presence of God in Mary’s life from the beginning.
Saint Augustine connects Mary’s birth with Jesus’ saving work. He tells the earth to rejoice and shine forth in the light of her birth. “She is the flower of the field from whom bloomed the precious lily of the valley. Through her birth the nature inherited from our first parents is changed.” The opening prayer at Mass speaks of the birth of Mary’s Son as the dawn of our salvation, and asks for an increase of peace.
We can see every human birth as a call for new hope in the world. The love of two human beings has joined with God in his creative work. The loving parents have shown hope in a world filled with travail. The new child has the potential to be a channel of God’s love and peace to the world.
This is all true in a magnificent way in Mary. If Jesus is the perfect expression of God’s love, Mary is the foreshadowing of that love. If Jesus has brought the fullness of salvation, Mary is its dawning.
Birthday celebrations bring happiness to the celebrant as well as to family and friends. Next to the birth of Jesus, Mary’s birth offers the greatest possible happiness to the world. Each time we celebrate her birth, we can confidently hope for an increase of peace in our hearts and in the world at large.
09/07/2025
It’s Official: St. Carlo Acutis & St. Pier Giorgio Frassati Canonized
Rome, September 7, 2025 — In a historic and joy-filled celebration at St. Peter’s Basilica, Pope Leo XIV officially declared St. Carlo Acutis and St. Pier Giorgio Frassati the newest saints of the Roman Catholic Church. The canonization liturgy, attended by thousands of pilgrims from around the world and watched by millions via live broadcast, highlighted the Church’s recognition of youthful holiness, heroic charity, and vibrant faith.
St. Carlo Acutis: The “Cyber Apostle of the Eucharist”
Carlo Acutis (1991–2006) was born in London, raised in Milan, and known for his deep devotion to the Eucharist. Nicknamed the “Cyber Apostle,” he created a website documenting Eucharistic miracles across the globe. Despite being diagnosed with leukemia at age 15, Carlo offered his sufferings for the Pope and the Church. His incorrupt body, resting in Assisi, has drawn countless pilgrims.
Beatified in 2020, Carlo’s canonization makes him the first millennial saint, a patron for young Catholics, students, and internet users. His motto, “The Eucharist is my highway to Heaven,” has become a rallying cry for Eucharistic devotion in the digital age.
St. Pier Giorgio Frassati: The “Man of the Beatitudes”
Pier Giorgio Frassati (1901–1925), born into a prominent Italian family, was a joyful student, mountaineer, and lover of the poor. Known for his spirit of adventure, he brought friends on mountain climbs and prayed the Rosary with equal fervor. He joined Catholic Action and worked tirelessly for social justice, often sneaking out at night to deliver food and aid to the needy.
He died at just 24, leaving behind the reputation of a “normal young man with extraordinary holiness.” Pope John Paul II, who beatified him in 1990, called him the “Man of the Beatitudes.” With today’s canonization, he is now officially honored as a saint, a model for young Catholics, outdoor enthusiasts, and those committed to charity.
A Jubilee Year of Hope
The joint canonization of Acutis and Frassati comes during the Jubilee Year of Hope, underscoring the Church’s message that holiness is not confined to the cloister or the extraordinary, but can be lived out in classrooms, workplaces, sports, friendships, and digital platforms.
Universal Call to Holiness
By elevating these two youthful witnesses, the Church proclaims anew that sanctity is possible in every generation. Their lives remind Catholics that holiness is not distant but attainable through prayer, charity, joy, and fidelity to Christ.
Closing Prayer
St. Carlo Acutis and St. Pier Giorgio Frassati, intercede for us, that we may embrace holiness in the ordinary moments of life. Inspire young people to follow Christ with courage, creativity, and love. May your examples ignite in the Church a renewed passion for the Eucharist, for service to the poor, and for joyful witness to the Gospel. Amen.
09/06/2025
Bob Johnston interviews Kent Lasnowski about San Damiano College for the Trades in Springfield, Illinois, a new Catholic men’s college rooted in Franciscan and Norbertine tradition that seeks to “rebuild the church” by integrating faithful formation and classical learning with hands‑on training in the seven construction trades.
The episode outlines the college’s current one‑year non‑degree formation program with trade exposure, plans for an associate degree, its strong Catholic identity and religious partnerships, and how the school prepares students for meaningful, durable work and apprenticeship opportunities. https://www.sandamianotrades.org/
09/06/2025
Deacon Al Lundy reflects on the 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, connecting Labor Day and the dignity of work with the recent canonizations of St. Carlo Acutis and St. Pier Giorgio Frassati.
He explains what canonized sainthood means, reviews the readings from Wisdom, Paul’s letter to Philemon (and Onesimus), and Luke’s call to carry the cross, emphasizing humility and putting God first.
The episode encourages prayer, devotion to the Eucharist, and a commitment to growth in virtue as the path to becoming saints in daily life.
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Catholic Spirit Radio, WSPI, 89.5 FM, serves Bloomington-Normal and McLean County, Illinois. We have been broadcasting Catholic radio programming since March 9, 2011. In 2017, we added translator W223CA, 92.5 FM, to provide a better signal to the Bloomington-Normal community. On December 3, 2018, we added station WPJC 88.3 FM in Pontiac, Illinois, to our growing network. On May 1, 2019, we began broadcasting from translator W246CO 97.1 FM in Lincoln, IL. Our network broadcasts EWTN radio programing along with a variety of in-house productions and programs from other networks.
Catholic Spirit Radio is independently owned and operated by the laity in a fashion that is consistent with the Catholic faith. We invite you to join us by listening and growing in your Christian faith. We are a listener supported 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization.
This network was created in response to Pope St. John Paul II’s call for the laity to take co-responsibility in the spreading of God’s Word through the catechetical and evangelical work of the Church. It broadcasts to the Diocese of Peoria with the approval of Bishop Daniel R. Jenky. Catholic Spirit Radio’s two-fold mission is to deepen the knowledge of Catholics and to share the goodness, truth, and beauty of the True Faith in order to bring others to Christ through the Catholic Church. Our goal is to catechize Catholics and evangelize Christians of other faith traditions, the unchurched, and non-believers relying on Holy Scripture, Sacred Tradition, and the Magisterium of the Catholic Church as the pillar and bulwark of truth (cf. 1 Timothy 3:15).
Please help us continue to broadcast by sending a gift today! Click the link below to give via credit, debit card, or EFT. Or, mail your donation to: Catholic Spirit Radio, 108 Boeykens Place, Normal IL 61761.
