The Catholic Channel celebrates five years of amazing radio.

Today is the five-year anniversary of The Catholic Channel.

The faces have certainly changed. I remember the mornings being occupied by a hack-comedian and his wife, an amazing priest doing a calming radio show after the amazing Busted Halo Show, and a producer named Maureen who could never remember to send out prizes.

I won't rehash the amazing story of meeting my wife through The Catholic Guy Show. But even though it was Lino's show that introduced me to the greatest woman in my life, the whole channel deserves my thanks. If Lino was the only good show, I probably would have cancelled my Sirius subscription at one point (I'd had it since 2003, and only ditched it once, for two months in early 2007).

Lino was and is great, but there were a few times when I was too financially strapped to realistically keep Sirius radio. The Catholic Channel's quality of programming kept me from cutting that expense.

What makes it so great? Here are my favorite memories of each Catholic Channel show.

• Former Seize the Day producer Emily Marlow trying to teach Gus how to speak in German
• Greg and Jennifer Willits' annual turkey gobbling contest
• Talking to Bob Dunning about anything political
• Lino's lock-in (and the time that Allicia, Heather Luzzi and I appeared on the show)
• Brett Siddell eating Dave's Insanity Sauce
• Fr. Paul Keenan playing the song "Teardrops from my Eyes."

Not your standard Christian radio, eh? But that's what makes it so great: It's ability to entertain and enlighten.

The channel has helped so many people, myself included, become better Christians. For a channel to help people's souls as much as their funny bones, well, that's something that should be emulated by any well-meaning Christian radio station.

I hope to be around for the 10-year anniversary. If the first five years are any indication, then we're going to have a great celebration in 2017.

A big thank you to Lino Rulli, Lou Ruggieri, Maureen McMurray, Fr. Jim Chern, Fr. Rob Keighron, Ryan Stewart, Ryan Grant, Emily Marlow, Gus Llloyd, Adam Hamway, Greg Willits, Jennifer Willits, Bob Dunning, Peter Donalds, Nicole Krieger, Fr. Dave Dwyer, Brett Siddell, Matt Knight, the fantastic Robyn Gould, Brian Zagen, Krista D'Amore, Archbishops Timothy Dola and Edward Egan, Fr. Harry, and the late Fr. Paul Keenan. God bless you all.