European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 5, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Cover Story father Harry Sheds Light on radio  staff writer he a a disc jockey a poet and television producer. A self proclaimed a Anchovy on the pizza of  he a a Catholic priest. He a father Harry of the god squad Host of love on the Rock the Long running radio show featuring Feather Light religious messages sandwiched Between contemporary Rock and pop songs. The Rev. Harry Schlitt the Youthful looking 52-year-old priest has produced a weekly radio show for the armed forces radio and television service since 1975. Hell segue from Roxelle to Reo Speed Wagon to Chris Isaak with a smooth Palter of rhythmic poetic alliteration and a soft touch of scripture. Each show is built 011 a Broad theme such As Hope togetherness or the importance of relaxation. He produces a civilian version using the same music but without references to being stationed overseas or being in the military. His programs Are targeted to generations who listen to top 40 tunes a roughly teens to Young adults a and his hip style is probably a reaction to religious radio shows of his youth he says. I in recalls a having grown up in Southern Missouri in the Hible Bell there and hearing a number of mostly Baptist and evangelical people shouting and Yelling hollering about god. 1 used to Call them god killers because even though they might have an audience for a Lime when you got through listening you were exhausted and All you could see was this vindictive god coming Down and smashing you for smoking drinking and dancing and All these other things that were a part of everyday life As far As i could Sec  father Harry does no to preach because it s not his style. He just talks to people mostly Young ones. On a recent sunday he spoke to a Small group of children and adults from the . Army Sclay Cavern in Northern Germany. Like his radio shows his talk was a mix of humor stories and feel Good messages about the Power of imagination the exaggerated emotions of youth and tolerance of differences in people. I less far from dogmatic. He recently completed a three month course in Rome on morality and notes the changes in attitudes among clergy. A when i went to sch Ltd l As a baby priest Quot he said Quot morality was something that you could read All the rules in the Bixik and you simply went out and told people this is what it says. But now moral theologians Are teaching that morality is made and it changes so rapidly. Your traditions and customs and your family and where you live have a lot to do with morality. You can to write it All Down in one Book and pass it out to the world and say a Here Are the does and done is of life there Are people who done to believe in god who Are very moral. I think it helps if you have a belief in god or if you try to practice your religion. It can help but its not essential to being a moral  lather Harry has worked in radio since 1968. 1 be used to Host a no Woik talk show on which he interviewed people like Leggy Lee the temptations 1 lorry Chapin and other musicians writers and entertainers. He has hosted produced or a amps Ken Capuson father Harry sandwiches religious messages Between top 40 tunes on his radio program. Narrated religious television programs award winning documentaries and children s programs. In 1979 he won an emmy for a prime time documentary on Lourdes France. The next year he won another for the kids of company a a documentary on cancer. His work last year included a documentary on parishes without priests and a two part series on satanism and cult worship that was broadcast on Public television stations in the United states. A the satanism show was meant to be informational and not hype Quot he said. Quot if you saw Ger Aldo Rivera do a piece on satanic worship and that was like the ultimate in hype if you saw that you a run out and tie your kids in the basement for fear they a he exposed to the Devil and satanism. So what we tried to do was make it real. We talked to people who Are involved in satanic worship we talked to police we talked to doctors but we did no to make it seem like every kid next door is worshipping satan which if you watch Geraldo that a the idea you a  one of father Harry a live Call in radio programs in san Francisco died against the whims of corporate Media moguls in 1983. Its an incident he laughs about now but his sunday night show on a network owned station in san Francisco was abruptly cancelled and replaced by or. Ruth Westheimer whose first show addressed the strangest places people Hud Quot done  despite All his awards and accolades he has had to struggle to achieve respect from the Church Hierarchy he says. Quot after live radio i did work for the Bishops conference and i think As i look at it now i was trying to gain some clerical respect in the adult world of religion. They put me in a certain category. A of he can Deal with youth but he has nothing to say to humanity a or a there a no Way he can relate to a grownup and there a no Way he a got a brain in his head otherwise he  listen to that  a a fortunately the archbishop he works for in san Francisco recognizes father Harry a ability to relate to a segment of the population that others can to and allows him to continue to listen to top 40, hang out with students from san Francisco state University and produce his radio shows. What May ultimately drive him off the air however is the music itself. A Elm 52 years old and i done to really like rap Quot father Harry said. Quot there a Good rap but its not music to me. I can to see the creativity i can to see the artistry. When you talk about an artist who a a musician you re talking about someone who makes music who creates music who gets a sound that gets inside you. A there i am in this big soup bowl of music and if 1 Don t like the ingredients its going to be harder and harder to do. If it comes to where everybody is listening to that kind of music. I la have to get out of the  6 a sunday january 5, 1992