www.byzcath.org Forums News & Events Church News Byzantine Catholic Broadcase on EWTN

Funding, funding, and funding!

(And the right equipment and committed personnel to do it!)

For a while, Frs. Sopoliga and Bertha (both Ruthenian priests)had a special programming about the Eastern Catholic Churches broadcast on EWTN (I think every Friday) but I don't know what happened. They are temporarily (?) off the air.

It should be noted that all EWTN programs are broadcast worldwide for free, i.e., no subscriptions fees from viewers. On the part of EWTN, it survives entirely on the donations of mostly unknown or unidentified supporters of Mother Angelica and her nuns and priests.

But the network has to pay for all the services of its employees, save those who volunteer.

Given the attendant operating costs of such a big netwrk (the largest Christian broadcasting network today), there must be a good number of donors (mostly Catholics?) and a good measure of trust invested in Mother Angelica's work.

Remember, the local Roman Catholic diocese, nor the USCCB for that matter, has no part in this endeavor!

I'm unconvinced by the "funding" argument. To quote one of Mother Angelica's most famous utterances "I am a Latin Rite" (which one, I wonder?).

Good video-recordings of the Divine Liturgy in various churches of various Byzantine traditions could easily be arranged and prepared, without utterly outrageous expense (for that matter, it is not completely impossible that one could find charitable and benevolent organizations willing to provide some financial support). Here are a few obvious suggestions:

St. Elias Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church, Brampton, Ontario (one in English; one in Ukrainian);


Saint Michael's Russian Greek-Catholic Chapel, New York;

Holy Transfiguration Melkite Greek-Catholic Church, Vienna (?) Virginia (it may in MacLean, but it's somewhere in that neighborhood);

Saint George's Melkite Greek-Catholic Church, Birmingham, Alabama (right in Mother Angelica's back yard);

Ss. Volodymyr and Ol'ha Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church, Chicago (perhaps a program on the iconography, which is stunning).

Others can certainly suggest more.

Abroad:

Holy Trinity Greek-Catholic Cathedral, Athens, Greece;

Saint Michael's Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church (served by the Studite monks), L'viv, Ukraine;

Saint Anthony the Abbot Russian Greek-Catholic Church, Rome, Italy;

Saint Paul's Greek-Catholic Basilica, Harissa, Lebanon (the iconography and mosaics are breath-taking)

and on, and on! Others can supply lots of recommendations. Oh, how could I forget - any good old-fashioned Greek-Catholic Church, suitably furnished and with good chanting, in or near Uzhhorod!

A visit to the magnificent Byzantine Chapel in Fatima (this will require a pilgrimage - bringing along clergy, choir and faithful).

In addition, of course, there are numerous Orthodox Churches who offer services well worth televising.

Then there is Holy Week and Pascha!

So there is no lack of possibilities.

Suggestion: the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Synod of Bishops will meet in Philadelphia in late September. That could provide a useful occasion for several interviews, informative programs and, of course, services to broadcast.

Fr. Serge

I think they may have used some of the music from St. Georges for different things. If you want a copy of this absolutely awesome CD contact MarkosC who posts on here https://www.byzcath.org/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showprofile&User=2090

Dear Fr. Serge:

I think these points are being missed;

(1) EWTN programming is set far in advance. Any Eastern Catholic Church wanting to be included in its programming must have to find a slot.

(2) EWTN would not, on its own volition, produce programs for the ECCs. It has its own hands full producing programs for the Latin Church.

(3) A viable program for the Eastern Catholic Churches should be co-produced by all, i.e., each interested ECC must contribute personnel and finances to the endeavor. The dearth of ECC programming on EWTN is not EWTN's fault.

Forgive me for being unable to agree with you. Consider:


Who said some Eastern Catholic Church is foaming at the mouth, dying to appear on EWTN? If they want us, they are free to ask. If they don't want us, that only proves my point. I mentioned, for example, Holy Week and Pascha. The dates when we celebrate those High Holy Days are also set far in advance - in fact, VERY far in advance - and are readily available to anyone. Those who are interested often travel great distances to come to Church on those days. The Pope takes care to send festal greetings to the Eastern Churches on those days. Is EWTN really unaware of them?


We already kow that on their own volition they would not take the trouble. But the excuse that they have their hands full producing programs for the Latin Church only proves, once again, that they and many other Latins are wearing blinders - Popes have been stressing repeatedly for the past century that Latins need to know about the Eastern Catholics (and the Eastern Orthodox, the non-Chalcedonians, and the Assyrian Church of the East, for that matter). Or is it that, like so many people, the leadership of EWTN only listen to the Pope when what he says pleases them? Is this another variety of "cafeteria Catholicism"?


When did EWTN last seriously propose such an initiative? Personnel are available (and, as EWTN knows perfectly well, there is no need to fly people around the world; even live interviews can be conducted quite nicely with the interviewer in Alabama and the interviewee in Singapore, or Melbourne, or Rome, or wherever - so can panel discussions and the like).

My previous post suggested that "it is not completely impossible that one could find charitable and benevolent organizations willing to provide some financial support". Read it for yourself. I'm not holding my breath for EWTN to take the hint.

It boils down to this: if EWTN wants to do something, they will find a way. If they do not find a way . . . well, you can fill in the blank.

Again, I'm sorry to disagree.

Fr. Serge

I doubt an EWTN presentation on Eastern Catholicism would be all that good anyway.

Dear Fr. Serge:

Let's reduce the question to: "Who should be mainly responsible for the propagation of anything about the Eastern Catholic Churches?"

Is it the Latin Church or, in this case, EWTN?

No, I think it should be the concern of each Eastern Catholic Church. The Latin Church, and any of her myriad of institutions and organizations like EWTN should, of course, lend assistance, if requested.

However, the initiative should come from each ECC.

EWTN has no problem going all over the world carrying stories of all sorts about the Latin church. As Pani Rose said, St. George's Melkite is RIGHT in their own back yard, and I have yet to have heard about any show produced about or shown from there.

And yes, they've produced, at our initiative, a few shows about the Ruthenian Greek Catholic church. They received fairly good response about them as I recall, so why not do more? I'd LOVE to see an Anglican Use Mass recorded and broadcast, but they haven't done that either. And that's a group in their own rite. Once again, we're the odd children that it's nice to take out and show when it's convenient.

EWTN is the Global ROMAN Catholic Network. Period.

John:

You, also, are missing the point!

Given the constraints attached to its funding, i.e., purely by donations, EWTN will not go out of its way to finance and produce progamming for the Eastern Catholic Churches. The ECCs must have to shoulder the costs of production and EWTN will, in turn, broadcast ECC programs for free if a time slot is open.

Initiative is the right word and it should come from those interested in placing programs on EWTN and not the other way around! Remember, EWTN broadcasts all its programs for free.

Your gibe at EWTN being solely a Global ROMAN Catholic Network should not be taken lightly. However, contrary facts bear out that this is not entirely true. The Ukrainians, the Chaldeans, the Maronites, the Syro-Malabars, and the Syro-Malankars have been on EWTN. The bulk went to the Ruthenians when Frs. Sopoliga and Bertha were still hosting their special program. Fr. Thomas Loya is still on EWTN Radio, patched up with Relevant Radio, broadcasting the "Light of the East!"

Amadeus, If they are truly Catholic, why won't they go out of their way to produce or show programming about the other Catholic churches? Especially after the late Pope so commended Roman rite Catholics to learn about and appreciate the riches of the Eastern churches. As broadcasters and communicators of the faith, I would think that they would take his words very seriously and use their abilities to make his word reality.

They obviously approach other groups in the RC church (not to mention, I viewed Lessons and Carols from King's College Cambridge one Christmas, and they're part of the Anglican "ecclesial community") to produce programs on them, why not approach the various Eastern churches, even if the cost had to be borne by those churches. It would be a perfect opportunity for our hierarchs to make us better known. Then again, some of this may be hesitancy on the part of our hierarchs to be associated with EWTN.

I also know that there have been a few Eastern programs, ie. Frs. Michael and Joseph's program, etc. but nothing with any regularity. And, I have voiced my appreciation to the network for showing them, and asked them for more. My point again, is that we're brought out occasionally as exotics and not as "normal" Catholics.

Ah yes, I remember now - yes, there was a Syro-Malankarese Divine Liturgy once on EWTN in the past year or so. Father "Mitch" Pacwa took the occasion to say - gratuitously and falsely - that it doesn't matter whether one uses leavened or unleavened bread in an Eastern Liturgy. The Syro-Malankarese bishop was much more polite than I am - but he used, thank God, leavened bread.

With that kind of awareness of Catholic magisterial teaching on the part of one of EWTN's main speakers, what can we expect from them?

Amado insists that the initiative for any EWTN coverage of the Eastern Catholics must come from the Eastern Catholics. Does that also apply to the Anglican-Use Parishes? How come EWTN never broadcasts Mass or other services from any of those parishes?

EWTN is confined to the Latin Church? That's what I said in the first place with my quote "I am a Latin Rite" from Mother Angelica. But the Mozarabic Liturgy and the Ambrosian Liturgy are certainly part of the Latin Church. When shall we see some of the services of those two traditions on EWTN? I've been highly privileged to visit the Duomo in Milan and attend several Ambrosian services, but we can scarcely expect everyone to travel to Milan. Is it then utterly unreasonable for EWTN to be aware of such a thing, arrange video-recordings of broadcast quality (which can certainly be done in Milan) and broadcast them from time to time?

Every so often, the Mozarabic Liturgy is offered in the United States (there are Hispanics who are aware of it and want it). When will EWTN make that available to us who would like to see it? [I've been to Toledo and attended it in its chapel in the Cathedral there, but again, nobody can expect the vast majority of the viewers of EWTN to be able to do that.]

Is it just possible that EWTN is out to suppress information?

Then, of course, - still within the Latin Church - there are the Liturgies of the old Religious Orders. I've never had the opportunity to see a Carthusian High Mass, but I would love to, and I'm sure others would too. When will EWTN make that available?

The BBC once broadcast a Solemn High Mass in the Carmelite Rite. Has EWTN ever asked the BBC to permit a rebroadcast over EWTN?

To ask such questions is to answer them.

Incidentally, if EWTN decides to prove me wrong, I shall be happy to apologize. I shall, however, have one request. Those portions of the services which are not in English should be subtitled, so as not to require people to listen to a "simultaneous translation" which is often inaccurate and always intrusive.

Mother Angelica, by the way, is Italian. That might move her to be favorable to the Ambrosian Liturgy - and, who knows, might even move her and her followers to remember such places as the Monastery at Grottaferratta, the Church of Saint Athanasius in Rome, and the Italo-Greek dioceses in Calabria and Sicily.

Radio is not sufficient - so much of the power of the Eastern Liturgies is visual.

As to money - instead of demanding, try enticement. Seek donations for a Byzantine chapel at EWTN headquarters. I'd be surprised if that didn't get a good response (provided, of course, that EWTN publicizes it properly).

Meanwhile, but me no buts. "I call 'em like I see 'em."

Fr Serge

A little bird told me that EWTN was goin to broadcast the Novus Ordo with the Priest(s) facing ad orientam, then the USCCB threatened to take over and further Protestantize EWTN. The story I heard ended in "EWTN caved in to the Liberal Bishops out of fear and only broadcasts ad populorem Novus Ordo Masses." (with the once in a blue moon Eastern Liturgy)

Perhaps the USCCB uses its muscle to dissallow the frequent, accurate,and and positive showings of Eastern Church Services by EWTN so that more people don't flee to Eastern Churches for authentic worship!?!?

Now there's an interesting thought!

Fr. Serge

The Liturgy on EWTN was from the first broadcast with the priest facing "ad orientam." It went on this way for many years. The controversary came up because some of the bishops complained that people were asking why their parish priest didn't do the same thing. So Bishop Foley ordered all priest within his jurisdcition to celebrate facing the people and further stated that anyone who did not do so would be without faculties in the diocese of Birmingham. When the change was made, it was explained on the network. The bishop was within his rights to establish a uniform way of celebrating within the diocese since every priest, whether religious or not, receives his faculties from the bishop in whose jurisdiction he serves.

As for the threat of the bishops taking over EWTN, that threat was disposed of by Mother Angelica resigning from the board and setting up the "empire" under civil corporation laws, thus separating it from any possibility that the USCCB could ever successfully take it over. I remember hearing that Mother A remarked that she would "blow the place up" before she'd let the liberals have the network.

So I think your "little bird" has it a bit mixed up.

In Christ,

BOB

Here there are some videos from Parma's Eparchy:
https://www.byzcath.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=149&Itemid=64