Does EWTN Help or Hurt?

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Randy_Carson

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DISCLAIMER: What I’m about to say won’t be very popular with some people…it may not even be accurate or fair, but it is my impression. You’ve been warned. 🙂

I don’t watch EWTN very often. In fact, almost never.

Whenever I’m flipping through the channels looking for something interesting and I come to EWTN, I’m not impressed with what I see.

Daily mass. A very aged Mother Angelica struggling through the rosary with a chorus of nuns monotoning their responses. The Divine Mercy Chaplet. Over and over and over again throughout the broadcast day.

Or aged monks and priests on an empty set talking directly to the camera. An elderly couple wandering through a church talking about saints. All obviously very low-budget productions.

Compared with Pat Robertson’s 700 Club and the productions of other Protestant broadcasters, EWTN is amateurish at best.

Is this really the best that Catholic Television has to offer? Does EWTN’s programming portray the Catholic Church in its best light?

Finally, is it time for Mother Angelica to step aside and let television professionals take EWTN to the next level?

[set rant=off]
 
Randy_Carson said:
Finally, is it time for Mother Angelica to step aside and let television professionals take EWTN to the next level?

[set rant=off]
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😊 I agree.

Poor Mother just needs to rest now. Really. They had her praying the Chaplet of St. Michael the other day, and bless her heart, it was just horrible.

I think it’s all a great idea. I like Marcus Grodi, Life on the Rock, any of the special programs…but a little less of Mother Angelica Live would be nice.

I don’t watch it ENOUGH to comment on the other things you’ve mentioned…

I would definitely like to see more interviews, like Pat Robertson does, about the Faith…real people, yes, but more professional looking. It seems the EWTN just isn’t willing to move very far off location from here in Alabama. (I could be wrong)

I wonder what’s (or who) is holding them back?
 
I understood that she’s had a severe stroke and is not able to speak etc. She turned over the station to a lay ministry several years ago. There are professionals running it, but the budget just isn’t the same as the 700 Club! I’d rather hear an elderly priest speaking the truth, than watch all the glitz over on the other channels and hear watered-down, feel-good nonsense.
 
Randy,

I think EWTN is doing the best they can with what they have to work with ($$$$). I’m selective with my viewing choices. Personal favorites are Marcus and his Journey Home program and Raymond"s World Over program.
1 Timothy 2:4 - The clearest anti-Calvinistic text in the NT
 
We used to have it, for about a year, and it was GREAT for Papal Visits…but yes, the other programmes were so low-budget they were almost unwatchable…sad really…mind you, at least there is a Catholic channel out there! In Holland we have 'KRO, the Catholic (Katholieke) Radio Broadcasting (Radio Omroep) and they only get limited rights to air-time and apart from weekly Mass and a few Catholic current affair programmes/documentaries, they fill their air-time with soaps, music and frankly rubbish…

Anna x
 
I agree, at least there is a Catholic channel out there. My problem is EWTN’s schedule. Since I work full time, I would like to see more shows rather than the Mass and Rosary during prime time. Journey Home is on at 5PM and 10PM in California. My favorite, but too early to get home and too late for the normal working person. I like the specials, like Michael Cumbie’s 4 part conversion story, but do not ever know when specials are going to be on and end up missing them. World Over is good, but we need more interesting programing during prime time.

Peace, Nancy:thumbsup:
 
Well, here is a different view on it.
My wife’s grandmother is no longer mobile. Guess what programs on EWTN she watches? The rosary every evening and the Mass. Which are both very Catholic and I think the elderly appreciate them very much.

There are several shows that I personnaly will watch whenever I have the opportunity - The Journey Home, Father Corapi, Letter and Spirit, World Over, EWTN Bookmark, some episodes of The Abundant Life, and replays of Bishop Fulton Sheen (Life Is Worth Living), just to name ones off the top of my head.

Yes, production quality of many of the programs may not be all that great, but what is more important to have, splash, pizzaz, or content. I watch EWTN to learn and to be motivated in my faith. I guess i have never turned in to be “entertained” or to sit watch and vegitate. I can do that watching almost any other channel. Just like I don’t go to Mass to be entertained and wowed with big screens and concerts, I go to offer worship to God and recieve him in the Eucharist.

If you haven’t guessed, I’m a big fan of EWTN and it has helped me tremendously on my faith journey.

Stillkickin
 
Have you read/listend to her biography? This might change your tune a little(put things into perspective), Mother has always been one of us with her human struggles and never hidden what some would call weakness.

If you complain about the amount of prayer televised, remember that this is a significant part of the Catholic faith life and should be reflected in the station that is Catholic.

I love Bob and Penny Lord, I think they put together shows on miracles and saints that you just can’t get anywhere else.

What are your opinions on Bishop Fulton Sheen, Father Benedict Groeshel, Father Corapi, Father Mitch Pacwa? My goodness these men are incredible. They’re sets are loaded with images of Jesus and Mary. I’d hardly call that empty.

I think the humble look of the station is just what God intended. The “glitzy” catholic stations were tried and failed.

I think you should see what’s going to be on instead of stumbling across something that doesn’t appeal to you. There are so many good shows and plenty of interviews.
 
I can’t think of any channel I’d want to watch 24/7.

Some EWTN that I have seen and like are:

The Journey Home
Web of Faith
The Good Code
Parable
The Sacraments (don’t remember the exact title)
Anything with Fr. Corapi in it
 
Now if they had dancers, watch out. Maybe a man in a collerless shirt and a woman with pink hair could interview people from golden chairs. Yeah baby, show me some Vegas! Why isn’t everyone a bishop like on the other religious channels?:rolleyes:
 
EWTN helps…a lot.

Mass is not entertainment. It’s not televangelism. So when EWTN shows Mass, what we see is reverent worship service.

The very fact that it’s not slick, overproduced, and emotional is a BIG selling point.

We routinely direct non-Catholic fans to check it out to find out what Mass is really like. It’s a great disinfectant for the lies Protestant pastors around here like to throw out regarding Catholicism.

The other programs only serve to reinforce this impression of the Catholic Church as timeless and reverent.

Moreover, most of the folks on EWTN come across as humble and pleasant. Contrast that to somebody yelling in a pulpit and you’ll see the EWTN advantage.

EWTN—bad TV, great apologetics.
 
It helps. There are some outstanding speakers–Father Corapi and Father Mitch Pacwa are my favorites. I also like Father Groechel most of the time. Personally, I have never gotten into watching Mass on TV–maybe that is just a personality thing.

It was my understanding that Mother has not been on any programming, nor running the programming at EWTN, for several years due to a stroke. So, programs showing her are all reruns, I believe. Mother is quick witted and a spiritual goldmine. However, I know that her pace is just not the same as someone like Michael Cumbie, for example. Apples to oranges really. It is all a matter of choice.

Everyone has their preferences I suppose, but I love what EWTN has to offer. Sure, there are some boring programs. Same with PBS. But there are lots of really good ones too.

By the way, I can see this thread is about the TV so that is what I replied to-- however, my life would be turned upside down without EWTN radio! 🙂 I love Catholic Answers Live, Open Line, and Journey Home (also on the TV programming).
 
Does it help or hurt whom?

I think for many Catholics EWTN serves as a great resource. The programming is varied, to be sure. But there are some really well done programs that provide great information for faith formation and apologetics.

Now, will the average non-Catholic find EWTN engaging and/or exciting? I doubt it. I imagine there are those shows which would stop some channel-flipping non-Catholics for a few minutes, but EWTN, for the most part, simply doesn’t have the big bang effect of CBN or other Christian television programming.

And, I think it is important to consider that EWTN is a network for Catholics by Catholics. And while there are certainly good programs which could, on their own, serve as evangelistic tools for non-Catholics, most of the programming is meant to nurture and enrich Catholics. I think the mission of EWTN isn’t exactly the same as other Christian networks, thus the product is different.
 
I just discovered this EWTN on a business trip about a year ago. I had an early flight, worked all day and came back to my hotel room worn out. I turned on the television, but nothing looked appealing…until I came to a station that was airing a Mass. I can’t tell you how much that helped my day! :signofcross:

Now when I’m back home with my busy life with family, I don’t have much time for TV, but when traveling, I find EWTN a great way to stay connected and prayerful! :gopray:

In Peace,
DS
 
I personally like a lot of what is on EWTN. I listen to it on Sirius. But my son, who is 19 has always disliked it for its lack of broadcast quality–its just not “easy” to listen to and not always professionally done. With the globalization of tv and radio, younger people, especially, expect quality.
 
I like some of EWTN and some is just awful. 😊

Depending on the topic, The World Over can be very good and informative. Same with The Abundant Life.

I liked watching Mother Angelica when she was on (before her stroke) but I don’t get too much out of the reruns anymore. 🤷

Fr. Corapi is good but I prefer to listen to him on the radio. Some people don’t have access to his radio program so it’s great that he’s on EWTN.

Forgive me, but I cannot sit through the rosary with Mother Angelica. It’s painful to watch.

The Mass serves a great purpose for those who are homebound and who cannot get out.

The shows that I have a problem with are Life on the Rock and the Children’s shows. Life on the Rock needs a new host. (Sorry Fr. Francis!) They just give a broad overview of the topic but they never really get to the heart of it.
And the Children’s shows are terrible. “Knights of St. Michael?”:eek: I wouldn’t sit my child in front of that.

So, it has its good points and its bad. Just like everything else. :yup:
 
I am a media missionary for EWTN…Sure alot of people are aged…Pick up Mother Angelica’s book, see what kind of life she lived, it is a good read. The rosary and Divine Mercy chaplet are repitious prayers, it is what it is. I am a supporter of EWTN
 
Does EWTN Help or Hurt?
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I think the answer is BOTH.

No network can appeal to all of us. I am somewhat critical of the production quality of some of the EWTN shows because many of them are really produced badly. On the other hand, there is some great content on EWTN if you can sit through the bad production! Certainly there is some good production, and certainly the network provides a service to many Catholics. But I think it is hard to evangelize our faith when you can’t get people to stop on the channel because of poor production quality that exists on many of the shows.

For the record, most of the “talking head” programs are produced well.
 
It became available to us through cable last winter, and I had been hearing such wonderful things about it, so when my husband was away on retreat for a weekend, I turned it on, and I really wanted to like it, but I found myself wandering around the house looking for chores to do while I watched it. (Something inside me was trying to tell me that I was bored, I think.)

I also don’t feel comfortable having it on if I think my (non-Catholic) husband is about to come home.

So, what I think is that it’s very orthodox, and I think that someone who is already “sold” on it could enjoy it very much, and someone who is determined to learn something most likely would, if they were to watch it, but, much as I really want to like it, I don’t.

I don’t even know what it is that I don’t like about it, because I like Discovery Planet, and Discovery Civilization, which have equally bad production values, and the speakers are just as ponderous on the Discovery channels as they are on EWTN - I really can’t put my finger on it.
 
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