Welcome to "Light of the East"

Glory to Jesus Christ!

Welcome to the new blog for the radio program "Light of the East". "Light of the East" is hosted by Fr. Thomas J. Loya, pastor of Annunciation of the Mother of God Byzantine Catholic Parish in Homer Glen, IL. "Light of the East" shows how the Eastern Catholic Churches have nourished the Western Lung of the Church and the world through their histories, traditions, spirituality and liturgy. "Light of the East" strives to bring about a greater sense of unity between all Christians both East and West.

I am Katie Gulas. If you are a listener of "Light of the East", you might know me as Katie the "ByzanTEEN". I act as a co-host when I am home from college and I often call in from my dorm at the University of Illinois to comment on the show.

What is a blog?

A "blog" simply means "web log". Think of it as an online journal. People with a blog can post entries for the public to read. Readers of the blog can post a comment on a particular entry.

Why does "Light of the East" need a blog?

Fr. Tom, our producer Art Clifton and I recently attended the "Talkers New Media Seminar" in New York City. One of the topics that was discussed over and over again was the fact the the future of radio lies in the internet. Having a blog allows Fr. Tom and I to enhance your listening experience. "Light of the East" can be heard on many radio stations across the country but there are many listeners who get their "Light of the East" fix from the internet, whether it is through our Parish website or by downloading our podcast on iTunes.

Every week I will post a description of every show along with a link to our parish website so you can listen to it over your computer. I will also be posting a short "teaser" about what our next episode will be about. The "Light of the East" blog will also include link to websites that may be mentioned on the show as well as important dates and contact information.

In addition to all of this I will also be posting some notes about what happened "after the microphones were turned off". Fr. Tom and I may also be posting links to YouTube videos or other websites that we think will be of interest to you.

Finally, having a blog connected with "Light of the East" will allow you, our cherished listeners to provide us with your ideas and feedback. At the end of every post there is a little button that anyone can click on. There is no need to be a member or to be "signed in" to leave a comment. We would greatly appreciate any comments, questions or ideas that you may have regarding the show or the Eastern Churches.

This is a new endeavor for us at "Light of the East". We are going to try to make it the best we can in order to continue to serve our listeners and provide them with insight into the wisdom of the Eastern Catholic churches as we all look towards the Light of the East.