Inspiring faith and hope for 20 years

From airing a few hours of paid faith programming per week in its infancy to running 28 radio signals across the Upper Midwest today, the Real Presence Radio (RPR) network has carved a niche to educate and evangelize the Catholic faithful for over 20 years.

Today, the RPR airs in five states: North Dakota, Minnesota, South Dakota, Wyoming and parts of Wisconsin.
 
Its founders and leadership credit a mix of raw tenacity, resourcefulness, tackling unfamiliar technology, sound decisions and God’s guidance.

RPR was seeded when some organizers detected a serious lapse of programming for Catholic listeners.

Steve Loegering, longtime member of the board of directors, said some Christian radio programs were less than neutral around the anniversary of the Reformation. “They were really going after the church.”
This caused him to ask himself where the Catholics were in the media.

“There was a big voice in me internally, asking ‘what are you going to do about it?’” he recalled. About one year later, he broached the subject to a Catholic men’s group.

He was cautioned by one member that it would never materialize because of the steep expense involved in radio.

Undeterred, Loegering, a machine shop owner in Casselton, and like-minded supporters persisted. “I said, ‘if God wants this to happen, it will happen, and we will find the money to do it.”’

Progress for the network crawled at first with trial and error. The group first incorporated as the nonprofit Ave Maria Radio in 2001 but learned that network name already existed. So, it became Real Presence Radio.

Early startup involved buying radio airtime from stations in Jamestown and Mayville. After one year, RPR supporters found it too expensive and could not continue broadcasting that way. Yet, opportunity came when they learned that the University of North Dakota was selling the school’s AM radio station in Grand Forks.

In a silent bid, RPR garnered its first radio station from UND. “We had to move it. We had to move the station to rural Grand Forks. I had to put four miles of copper wire for the new tower,” Loegering said of the early efforts to get things rolling.

On Nov. 4, 2004, the RPR debuted on its first station. “We began with EWTN feed because it was free,” recalled Loegering. “From here, we had no idea where we were going. … None of us has radio experience.” 
 
A few years later, they found the 1280AM station in Fargo was up for sale. After talking to a couple of donors, the network obtained its second station. A third major signal came when RPR was approved a license for Bismarck 91.3FM. “We had to start from scratch and build a new building.” 

As earlier purchases were paid off, network board members began finding new opportunities to build coverage for listeners and relative content. Loegering credits the hiring of Steve Splonskowski, 13 years ago as its first CEO, for pushing RPR’s momentum. Splonskowski hired the needed administrative staff and a true engineer.

“He was phenomenal. He was able to take many pieces and get them going in the same direction,” Loegering said.

RPR used the internet to boost new signals. It was among the first to do so, proving a less expensive and a stable method for airing content, said Loegering.

In the past five years, Loegering said RPR’s coverage jumped to 28 signals throughout a coverage area of five states having the potential to reach 2.4 million people.

New executive director

Mark Hollcraft, RPR’s new executive director taking the reins in August 2020, aims to advance Splonkowski’s legacy further—to reach more youth and young adults via the network’s coverage and content.

Youth evangelization has been a forte for the California native, who has more than 22 years of youth ministry background in Minnesota and four years as Eastern Regional Director for NET Ministries Radio in Cincinnati. There, he honed budgeting skills, oversaw staff and learned the business operations.

Hollcraft was a previous guest on RPR sharing his experience in youth ministry. He and wife Meredith have six children.
 
“What I hope is to bring an awareness of what is happening in the Catholic Church for more depth, to foster deeper spirituality in our programming.”

He hopes to do this by continuing to air local shows.

Hollcraft sees his role to advance RPR teaching and hiring more people to strengthen the new signals, adding local content and programming, and strengthening financial growth to fill in the gaps of local interest programs.

“Our mission has not changed. It is to draw in all people through the media of Catholic radio.”
 
Both Hollcraft and Loegering are cautious not to try to replicate content locally that already thrives nationally. Instead, unique material can be drawn from nearby events, local priests, bishops, parishes, lay people, special visitors to an area and programs to speak to listeners, reasoned Hollcraft. “We want to do something truly local.”

Examples have been coverage of a local Walk for Life, Know Your Faith contest, Men in Black and Collar Classic basketball games. Hollcraft said listeners need to find the opportunity to grow in their education of faith. “They need to be inspired as Catholics in a culture that does not embrace that.”
 
“It’s exciting,” he said of his new role. “I am always interacting with people, bishops and priests. I’m learning about radio technology.” He said he is blessed to be working with a great group of staff, partners and people.
 
Fundraising efforts

Over the years, RPR’s staff have found that its best sources of fundraising come via banquets, live radio fund drives and generous donors.

During live drive events, radio guests and hosts share how RPR has influenced their faith and tell of conversion stories. They share stories of gratitude and seek support. Banquets bring in nationally-recognized speakers that fill the room.

The next live fundraising drive is May 4-7 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. each day featuring local hosts and guests. Listeners are invited to call in with their pledge support during this time. For more information, go to RealPresenceRadio.com.
 
“It is listener-funded completely,” Hollcraft said. “We’ve been blessed by the support.”
 
Keeping true to the mission

Loegering said RPR aspires to keep true to its mission of solidifying the faith of Catholics and evangelizing to bring conversion. “Inspiring faith and hope” continue to be their goal.

“I would say our first achievement has been surviving. There have been a lot of challenges. Without a lot of generous people who took a risk, we wouldn’t be here,” he said. “There is no way we could have done this on our own.”
 
The late Mother Angelica cautioned him in a brief encounter once, “‘the moment you forget you are an apostolate you will fail,’” he recalled.
 
“It’s a combination of faith and reasoning. We take big risks, but educated risks,” Loegering said. “I am happy with how this evolved. I never thought it would get this big. It is a privilege to be here.”