St. Joseph Evangelization Network (SJEN) began in 1982 in Orange, California, as the St. Ignatius Retreat Association, organizing retreats and inviting excellent Catholic speakers to lead them.

Through the Holy Spirit’s prompting and aided by the generous encouragement and support of Msgr. Lawrence Baird (former Director of Communications for the Diocese of Orange, CA) and Fr. Thomas Nelson, O.Praem (board member and spiritual director), the volunteer-run apostolate soon spread to include radio, reaching further and further until our evangelization efforts were touching lives all over the United States, Canada, and beyond! Soon, our missionary assistance to establish technology for evangelization was requested by Grenada’s Bishop Darius and Archbishop Donald Reece of the West Indies.  St. Joseph Radio gladly answered the call to service!

We were blessed to collaborate with EWTN for many years, providing live and pre-recorded programs on Catholic apologetics and other faith topics. In 2004, St. Joseph Radio established a branch in St. Charles, Missouri, where amazing circumstances prompted new outreaches that continue to grow! Not only were thousands of dollars’ worth of audio and video recording equipment donated, but gifted people from a major network offered their expertise, along with many faithful volunteers.

During this time, a video studio was added to our operations, opening new avenues to evangelizing through the media in the form of SJEN.Tv!

A long-standing dream came to fruition in 2016 when Archbishop Robert Carlson approved our request to establish St. Joseph Chapel at our St. Charles location. Volunteers daily pray the Rosary and Divine Mercy chaplet for the intentions of all our listeners, benefactors, and workers. The Holy Mass is also offered occasionally! 

St. Joseph Radio has been blessed with many volunteers who assist in organizing and sponsoring our video and radio programs, parish events, conferences, retreats, etc. as well as our annual Catholic Man of the Year Award Dinner. We are very grateful for those have and continue to carry on our mission of evangelization.

By early 2017, St. Joseph Radio had grown far beyond its beginnings, encompassing not only radio, but video, publishing, a giftshop, evangelization training, event sponsoring, and more, so the decision was made to adapt our name to reflect the variety of work done in our apostolate. St. Joseph Evangelization Network became the new moniker for the same volunteer-driven ministry that continues, through the grace of God, to change the world “one soul at a time!“