St. Gabriel Radio, central Ohio’s Catholic radio station, has led to numerous conversions, reversions and deepening of faith. The station receives testimonies from many listeners who share the impact that tuning in to AM 820 has had on their lives.
Heather MacKinnon is one such listener. She began listening to the station about seven years ago, unaware of how it would change life as she knew it.
MacKinnon, who resides in Columbus’ Clintonville neighborhood with her husband, Andy, and 11-year-old son, Michael, was challenged to listen to the radio station by her parish priest. Father Matt Hoover, pastor at Columbus Immaculate Conception Church, encouraged the congregation to listen to AM 820 as a way to grow in faith.
She decided to tune in on her morning commute to work. Instead of her usual music choice, the 25-minute drive was accompanied by St. Gabriel Radio’s broadcast of Christ is the Answer with Father John Riccardo, a priest of the Archdiocese of Detroit and founder of ACTS XXIX ministry. The program focuses on faith instruction and topics critical to people seeking answers to life’s greatest questions.
At the time, MacKinnon said there was much about the Catholic faith that she did not understand. She continued listening to AM 820 in the mornings and quickly began seeing the world in a new light.
“Without that one little dial change in the morning, and without Father Riccardo being on, who knows where I would be now,” she acknowledged.
“Now, when I’m in the car, it’s the only thing I really listen to, is AM 820, and I just love the programming. I love what I hear. There’s so many things out there … it’s division, and it’s tearing down, whereas when I listen to AM 820, everything about it just builds up.”
For MacKinnon, 10 years ago, she likely would not say such words. While she described herself as a nice person – compassionate, happy-go-lucky, kind – she admitted that, like many, she was a person of the world. Tuning in to AM 820 each day did not simply change the airwaves in her car – it broke down a wall in MacKinnon’s heart.
“The ways of the world were how I lived my life,” she confessed. “And then, after listening to AM 820, I now can say I live my life for Christ, and how I approach the world and how I view the world are through the lens of Jesus Christ.”
She said, as a result, she has a more compassionate outlook. She added that she can also identify the evil one’s influence, both in people and organizations.
“Before, I would have been like, just blow it off, but now, I take it to prayer,” she said.
MacKinnon explained that she now asks God to put people in others’ lives, helping guide them to the truth. What could previously cause an upset has become a repetition of Christ’s words on the cross, “Forgive them, Father, for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34).
She acknowledged that, like every person, she is not perfect and utilizes the sacrament of reconciliation. Listening to St. Gabriel could not bring perfection, but it brought her imperfections to light.
“I am a person who likes to be right, you know, we all do, right? And so, when I was listening to Father Riccardo and the ways that he described certain things that I had a very strong stance on … he just chipped away at it,” MacKinnon recalled.
She said there were several Church teachings that she did not agree with or understand.
“All these things I used to be like, the Catholic Church is so backwards about this, and they need to get with the times. It was through listening to AM 820 that I’m like, oh my gosh, I was so wrong,” she said. “Like, I was so wrong, so it changes a person.”
She noted that many aspects of her present-day life are impacted by what she learns on AM 820’s programming.
While her commute has changed – she now works closer to home with Andy and his work partner at their insurance agency – AM 820 remains a significant part of her drives.
Today, MacKinnon leads a Bible discussion group and co-leads a high school group at Immaculate Conception Church. She said faith is infused in every part of her life, and it has led to great conversations with her son.
The family had their home enthroned to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, inspired by St. Gabriel Radio’s Sacred Heart Hour program, aired on the first Friday of each month.
“So much of my life has stayed the same,” she added, “but just how I come at life is so vastly different now than what it was before.”