FAIRHOPE, Ala. - During its decades of service to St. Lawrence Catholic Church, the building that now houses WNGL 1410 AM has been home to classrooms, a library and various small ministries. These days, the small brick house on Section Street serves a much larger purpose, broadcasting Catholic programming on-line and over the airwaves 24 hours a day.

"Archangel Radio," as it is known, has been years in the making, but only began broadcasting two weeks ago after $650,000 in mostly private donations afforded a local board of directors the ability to purchase licensing, equipment and programming for the station.

Station Manager Daniel diSilva, a 20-veteran of the entertainment industry, is responsible for programming at WNGL. "Before his death, (Pope) John Paul II spoke of 'the new evangelization," said diSilva this week. "He recognized that the radio would continue to be important in spreading Catholic ministry, but emphasized the importance of emerging technologies as well."

DiSilva said a group of congregants from St. Lawrence parish began discussing the formation of a local radio station as much as seven years ago, but organization developed rapidly within the last four years. The product of that collaboration was Archangel Communications, which runs the station and the web site, www.wngl1410am.com, and plans to assume a larger role in the future promoting Catholic arts and events.

"This is essentially that 'new evangelization'," diSilva said, adding that the venture eventually hopes to produce media, concerts and in-house programming.

"We're still in a testing-phase," he said. "We still have some technical issues to work out with the station and that is our main focus right now."

In addition to syndicated Catholic programming from the EWTN network, diSilva plans on adding local call-in programs in the morning and afternoon and contemporary Catholic music some evenings.

Although Archangel Radio is not affiliated with the Archdiocese of Mobile, it has the blessing of Archbishop Thomas J. Rodi, who will host a reception in the station's honor following the 4th annual Mass of the Archangels Wednesday night at the Cathedral of Immaculate Conception in Mobile. Mass begins at 6 p.m. with the reception following at the Bishop Portier House on Cathedral Square.