Archdiocese Local

Topeka celebrates new Catholic radio station

Parishioners in Topeka can now liven their commutes with a new Catholic radio show.

by Catherine Halbmaier
Special to The Leaven

TOPEKA — Parishioners here can now liven their commutes with a new Catholic radio show. For morning prayers, a daily rosary and other faith-filled programming, KSWT- LP FM 89.7 (or “Topeka’s SWORD”) is active and looking for listener support.

It’s been a long time coming, but the window for a new noncommercial radio station opened in December of 2023. The Glory to God Community applied for a license, and in May 2024, it was granted.

Low-power Catholic radio is nothing new to the archdiocese or the Glory to God Community. Nine years ago, St. Bernard Church in Wamego was granted a license for a low-power station to be based in St. George. A lay apostolate was formed to manage the 100-watt station for St. Bernard for the first three years.

From the very beginning, the apostolate contracted with longtime Kansas broadcaster Lee Defendorf (also known as Lee O’Day) and his small LLC, “Glorium Deo Catholic Media,” for day-to-day programming of the station.

As operational manager of Topeka’s new station, Defendorf will continue the programming for Topeka and St. George. He personally tested the signal at different parishes in the city. 

“I sat in different parking lots of the different Topeka parishes just to check,” said Defendorf. “I wanted to make sure you could hear it at every one. The signal was strong, I’m pleased to say.”

Much of the programming in Topeka and St. George is shared, and tagged as coming from “The SWORD Catholic Radio Network.” In a short time, another LP station in Manhattan will be joining the network.

Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann also expressed his enthusiasm for the new station in a letter sent to the Topeka pastors. In the part of the letter addressed to Defendorf, Archbishop Naumann wrote:

“Thank you for your work with ‘The Sword Catholic Radio’ under the call letters KSWT-LP and for your assistance to the Glory to God Community in Topeka, as they begin operation of the new Catholic radio station in Topeka. . . . I am grateful to you for your efforts to evangelize the Topeka community by offering quality, authentically Catholic programming, promoting the truth and beauty of the Catholic faith.”

In a press release sent to The Leaven, Defendorf asked Topeka parishioners to consider supporting the station.

“All Catholic radio stations are ‘listener supported,’” Defendorf wrote. “We get no money from the church. EWTN assists with programming, but it has been costly just getting equipment to bring in the network signal. To help us get on the air, one anonymous donor wrote a check for the equipment we needed. With pro bono help from an engineer from my past radio career, things have been coming together.”

“The Christmas holidays made it not possible to begin fundraising, and the operational bills are starting to come in,” Defendorf continued. “We need about $3000 right now for operating funds. If you can help us, any gift would be appreciated.”

Donations can be made by check to: Glory to God/Radio, 7440 S.W. Morrill Rd, Wakarusa, KS 66546. To tune in, the new channel is at 89.7 on the dial.

About the author

Catherine Halbmaier

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