BRAINTREE -- A new voice in Catholic media is coming soon to the Archdiocese of Boston -- a Catholic radio station that will broadcast exclusive Catholic programming 24 hours per day and seven days per week.

Holy Family Communications, a non-profit Catholic radio apostolate with existing stations in upstate New York, announced July 12 that they have an agreement to purchase WBIX 1060AM, a business news station in Framingham, and convert it into exclusively Catholic programming. The station will be renamed WQOM (Queen of Martyrs) but will remain at 1060 on the AM dial. It is expected to begin broadcasting on Nov. 1.

"We are very excited about bringing Catholic radio to the Boston community," said Holy Family President Jim Wright. "We feel truly blessed by the acquisition of WBIX 1060AM and the gift it is to broadcast the fullness of Truth with clarity and charity with our Catholic radio programming."

The station will broadcast at 50,000 watts, the same signal strength as major secular stations such as WBZ (1030), WRKO (680), and WEEI (850). WBIX currently broadcasts in 40,000 watts, Wright said.

Ratings firm Arbitron ranks Boston as the country's tenth largest radio market and it is the fourth largest Catholic archdiocese.

WQOM is expected to reach about 5.5 million people spread over the entire Archdiocese of Boston and several communities in neighboring dioceses such as Manchester, N.H., Providence, R.I., Worcester, and Fall River said Scot Landry, the archdiocese's Catholic media secretary.

Landry said "Cardinal Seán O'Malley and many of us at the archdiocese have hoped for years to have a strong Catholic radio presence here. Boston has been one of the only major media markets without 24/7 Catholic radio. The programming that will run has been proven nationally, and we are happy that Catholics in Boston now will be able to listen to it."

"Nearly all the programming will be syndicated Catholic programs," Landry said. "It's really a proven concept."

Holy Family Communications operates two other stations that are part of the Station of the Cross Radio Catholic Radio Network -- WHIC 1460AM in Rochester, N.Y. and WLOF 101.7FM in Buffalo, N.Y. The stations air syndicated programs such as EWTN's "Life on the Rock" and "The World Over", as well as the shows of Mother Angelica, Father Benedict Groeschel, Father John Corapi, and Servant of God Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen.

Local programming on WQOM could also include interviews with Cardinal O'Malley, Mass, the Rosary, other devotions, and CatholicTV programs, Landry added.

Holy Family Communications also offers Internet streaming and an iPod application, said Wright, its president.

"We're trying to use what the Holy Father has mentioned," Wright said. "We have to stay up with the times and use the types of media available in our world."

Holy Family Communications expanded into the Boston market with funds from an anonymous bequest. The donor left the money simply to allow the non-profit to "pursue their religious goals," Wright said.