Hour of Saint Francis

Religious programming had a place on radio from the beginning. Often these shows were sermons delivered by a well-known preacher. Fr. Hugh Noonan, O.F.M., of St. Joseph's Church in Los Angeles decided there was a better way to reach people. The Hour of St. Francis was the solution.

Each 15-minute show examined a moral problem, explored a virtue, or told the stories of everyday people in extraordinary situations. Fr. Noonan thought it was important to reach people and combining Catholic teachings and entertainment was an excellent way to do that. Stories included parables about patience, prayer, and love; the stories of everyday people in extraordinary situations.

The show first aired in 1946 and ended in the mid-1950s. There were over 400 episodes though only a fraction of that amount are still in existence. When you listen to the show, you will hear stars like Ozzie Nelson, Rosalind Russell, Ann Blyth, Ward Bond, and many more.