The Catholic Hour

American radio program

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July 20, 2026

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"The Catholic Hour" was an American radio program hosted by Fulton J. Sheen, a Roman Catholic priest and evangelist. It began in 1930 and reached an audience of approximately four million listeners. The program was part of the broader landscape of radio broadcasting in the United States, which saw significant changes in the late 20th century with the rise of FM radio and increasingly specialized formats. While "The Catholic Hour" focused on religious content, other radio trends included a surge in religious-format stations, a dominance of news and talk programs on AM, and the development of niche music formats on FM.12

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Fulton J. Sheen
A popular radio and TV evangelist
…radio career on the program The Catholic Hour, which reached an estimated four million listeners at the height of its popularity. In 1951 Sheen became a titular bishop, and he served as auxiliary bishop of New York (1951–66). During much of his tenure in New York, he hosted a weekly…
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…radio career on the program The Catholic Hour, which reached an estimated four million listeners at the height of its popularity. In 1951 Sheen became a titular bishop, and he served as auxiliary bishop of New York (1951–66). During much of his tenure in New York, he hosted a weekly…
Read More