Ewtn too secular for me

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JReducation said:
No, they do have some programs that I find boring, because there is too much talking. One that particularly bores me is “The Journey Home”. There is an absence of action and enthusiasm in the dialogue, unlike other talk shows. I like “Life on the Rock”. Fr. Mark and Mr. Barry are very funny and play off each other. They keep the conversation with their guests moving at a quick pace.

Fr. Benedict is also very animated. I’ve known him since I was a very young man. He has always been a genius and a nutjob. I say that with the greatest fraternal affection. Franciscans love him very much, but he’s always been a male version of Auntie Mame. He is very funny and at the same time very intelligent and very orthodox. He’s also a very loving man.

I love Fr. Mitch, because he’s very scholarly. I’m a very curious person and I really enjoy the background information. When he covers different thoelogical and pastoral writings, he works a lot with background information.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF 🙂
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I really depends on what one likes. The Journey Home really appeals to me because I made that journey and enjoy learning how other people found their way home.

I have really learned about the Protestant churches watching that show.
I especially appreciate how former Protestants (myself included) continue to love what the Protestant Churches gave them as we came to understand the beauty of the Catholic Church.

There is something for everyone. It certainly beats every other channel.
 
RosalieM said:
I haven’t read all the posts in this thread, so please excuse me if I’m repeating something.🤷

I love the EWTN coverage of the Pope’s live broadcasts – of his Apostolic visits, seasonal masses, etc. If one watches them live, one receives his blessing (via t.v. or radio broadcasts). For example, the recent WYD was like a retreat for me. I stayed up to catch live broadcasts in the wee small hours, my time. I saw most of the events and was very inspired. I’m looking forward to EWTN’s coverage of his trip to Germany, and other journeys as well as the holy seasons’ broadcasts.👍 Fr. Mitch Pacwa has a very informative show on Tuesday eve’s called “Threshold of Hope” where he discusses the encyclicals of Blessed Pope John Paul II. I love the EWTN movies about saints. The homilies in their masses are top notch.
I feel there is a definite connection with St. Clare, patroness saint of television, and Mother Angelica’s Poor Clares.

If the OP has shows he/she doesn’t like, that’s no reason to make a sweeping put-down about the entire network…EWTN is a blessing, for heaven’s sake!😉
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I also like EWTN’s coverage of Papal events. I got to see a lot of his visit to the UK last year online, for instance. Just recently I got to see most of the WYD events in Spain live on TV-I was away from home on a trip, so I saw it on the television set in my motel room.
Those were very cool! 👍

Other things I like to watch are movies about the Saints and other holy people. The ones on Pope Paul VI and Blessed John Paul II were great-I cried a lot during the JP II movie!

The old Father Peyton-made films on the mysteries of the Rosary are also okay, though the style of acting is a little ‘over the top’. It’s funny looking out for the famous Hollywood actors of the day playing Biblical characters (Raymond Burr of ‘Perry Mason’ fame as a Roman soldier and later as St. Peter-he certainly had the build and the voice to play the latter! 😃 ).
 
I do not understand, but if the OP only wants to watch programing with clerical and religious, then only watch those programs. Surely the Mass is not too secular, and many programs do feature religious and clergy. What gets me, if EWTN is too secular, what do you call posting at CAF???
 
pnewton said:
I do not understand, but if the OP only wants to watch programing with clerical and religious, then only watch those programs. Surely the Mass is not too secular, and many programs do feature religious and clergy. What gets me, if EWTN is too secular, what do you call posting at CAF???
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I think many Catholics do not understand the term “secular”. They confuse it with secularism. They’re not the same thing. In fact, most of priests in the Catholic and Orthodox Churches are secular men. Every pope of the 20th century was a secular man and so is Pope Benedict XVI.

Secular means someone who is not a consecrated man or woman. Most deacons, priests and bishops are not consecrated religiuos. They are part of the secular faithful.

Then you have the secular layman, the individual who is neither a consecrated religioius nor an ordained cleric. They are no less Catholic than religious or a cleric.

Simply put, the secular Catholic and the consecrated Catholic have different roles, live in different worlds, and exist in different states in life.

Secularism, on the other hand, is a culture where there is no room for God.

Looking at the programming of EWTN, I can’t find a single program that excludes God. Each program focuses on different subjects, devotions and activities, but all of them are connected back to the Gospel.

There is no reason why a secular Catholic cannot be at the center stage in these programs, if he or she has the talents to pull it off.

It’s interesting that you mention the mass. The mass is not supposed to be “religious” as in part of religious life. We don’t become religious just to be priests. Most religious are not priests. A very small percentage of religious are priests. I believe it’s about 20%. Among priests, about 30% of them are religious.

The chapel at EWTN is very unique, because the chaplains are religious and some of them are ordained priests. You can tell by the way that they celebrate the mass. It’s very Franciscan. But that’s not the norm nor will it ever be the norm, because most Franciscans do not serve in parishes. In fact, more and more Franciscans are closing parishes and going to hospice, homeless shelters, soup kitchens, street ministry, hospitals, schools, universities, preaching bands, retreat ministry, pregnancy centers and other outreach apostolates.

I think that there is some confusion here about the role of the laity. Running EWTN is precisely the kind of ministry that the Church envisioned for the laity in Apostolicam Actuasitatem.

Since, in our own times, new problems are arising and very serious errors are circulating which tend to undermine the foundations of religion, the moral order, and human society itself, this sacred synod earnestly exhorts laymen-each according to his own gifts of intelligence and learning-to be more diligent in doing what they can to explain, defend, and properly apply Christian principles to the problems of our era in accordance with the mind of the Church.

This sounds like the work of the secular men and women on EWTN.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF 🙂
 
JReducation said:
I think many Catholics do not understand the term “secular”. They confuse it with secularism. They’re not the same thing. In fact, most of priests in the Catholic and Orthodox Churches are secular men. Every pope of the 20th century was a secular man and so is Pope Benedict XVI.

Secular means someone who is not a consecrated man or woman. Most deacons, priests and bishops are not consecrated religiuos. They are part of the secular faithful.

Then you have the secular layman, the individual who is neither a consecrated religioius nor an ordained cleric. They are no less Catholic than religious or a cleric.

Simply put, the secular Catholic and the consecrated Catholic have different roles, live in different worlds, and exist in different states in life.

Secularism, on the other hand, is a culture where there is no room for God.

Looking at the programming of EWTN, I can’t find a single program that excludes God. Each program focuses on different subjects, devotions and activities, but all of them are connected back to the Gospel.

There is no reason why a secular Catholic cannot be at the center stage in these programs, if he or she has the talents to pull it off.

It’s interesting that you mention the mass. The mass is not supposed to be “religious” as in part of religious life. We don’t become religious just to be priests. Most religious are not priests. A very small percentage of religious are priests. I believe it’s about 20%. Among priests, about 30% of them are religious.

The chapel at EWTN is very unique, because the chaplains are religious and some of them are ordained priests. You can tell by the way that they celebrate the mass. It’s very Franciscan. But that’s not the norm nor will it ever be the norm, because most Franciscans do not serve in parishes. In fact, more and more Franciscans are closing parishes and going to hospice, homeless shelters, soup kitchens, street ministry, hospitals, schools, universities, preaching bands, retreat ministry, pregnancy centers and other outreach apostolates.

I think that there is some confusion here about the role of the laity. Running EWTN is precisely the kind of ministry that the Church envisioned for the laity in Apostolicam Actuasitatem.

Since, in our own times, new problems are arising and very serious errors are circulating which tend to undermine the foundations of religion, the moral order, and human society itself, this sacred synod earnestly exhorts laymen-each according to his own gifts of intelligence and learning-to be more diligent in doing what they can to explain, defend, and properly apply Christian principles to the problems of our era in accordance with the mind of the Church.

This sounds like the work of the secular men and women on EWTN.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF 🙂
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Praise be to our Lord for doing this!!! He is “drawing all men unto Himself”. I was raised protestant and you can’t believe what EWTN has done to draw me to His Church. Don’t ever underestimate the Holy Spirit and what can happen. We often 'limit" His Spirit. God moves beyond where we think:)

Blessing in Him,
mlz
 
mlz said:
Praise be to our Lord for doing this!!! He is “drawing all men unto Himself”. I was raised protestant and you can’t believe what EWTN has done to draw me to His Church. Don’t ever underestimate the Holy Spirit and what can happen. We often 'limit" His Spirit. God moves beyond where we think:)

Blessing in Him,
mlz
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I believe that the greatest heresy is the attempt to hand-cuff God. God will do what he will do, when he wants to do it and in whatever way he wants to do it.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF 🙂
 
JReducation said:
I believe that the greatest heresy is the attempt to hand-cuff God. God will do what he will do, when he wants to do it and in whatever way he wants to do it.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF 🙂
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Aye, and I believe that the greatest heresy is the attempt to bend Gods will to our own. Often, we blur the two.

God be with you Brother.
 
I like EWTN. THough I do not watch it alot. I like their shows on Saints and on the feast day of the Assumption (aug. 15) I caught a show with some priest who talked about it and was very nice. And the other weekend I caught the hour and half short movie on Pope John Paul II
 
EzraJacob said:
I like EWTN. THough I do not watch it alot. I like their shows on Saints and on the feast day of the Assumption (aug. 15) I caught a show with some priest who talked about it and was very nice. And the other weekend I caught the hour and half short movie on Pope John Paul II
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Those are wonderful movies. Piotr Adamczyk, the actor who played Bl. John Paul gave a very inspiring interview in Canada.

Interview with Piotr Adamcyk

Video Interview or Piotr Adamczyk

Enjoy! 😉

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF 🙂
 
BTW, the movie plus reading this book I found at the Library, A Life with Karol, written by a Cradinal Stanislow, has given me much more respect and love for Pope John Paul II, even though I was only a child throughout his Papacy.
 
Irish_Polock said:
Aye, and I believe that the greatest heresy is the attempt to bend Gods will to our own. Often, we blur the two.

God be with you Brother.
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That is why we should do our best to serve and follow Gods will and not make it our own and tell Him what to do, but ask for His guidance and help on day to day basis.

I am sure some might disagree, but i try to do my best in being obedient and follow His will.
 
This program is on right now. Started at 8 PM Eastern Standard Time.
Living The Discerning Life
Fr. Timothy Gallagher, O.M.V. of the Oblates of the Virgin Mary, leads a ten-part retreat based on the 14 rules of St. Ignatius of Loyola. Fr. Gallagher explains how St. Ignatius and others converted their lives from ones of emptiness and sin leading away from God to lives rich in the fullness of God’s grace. Fr. Gallagher shows how we can apply Ignatius’ 14 rules to our daily live helping us to draw closer to the Father.
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I’m not crazy about all the programming on EWTN, but I think this is awesome. I get to be part of a retreat without even leaving my house!
 
TrueLight said:
This program is on right now. Started at 8 PM Eastern Standard Time.

I’m not crazy about all the programming on EWTN, but I think this is awesome. I get to be part of a retreat without even leaving my house!
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Yes, that show seems interesting, when does it come one again? I also saw today parts of a show called Saints Alive, which was interesting and educational.

Plus we are getting a new Archbishop in Phila. And they are televising it on EWTN, which is cool for us who have no money and can not get a ticket
 
EzraJacob said:
Yes, that show seems interesting, when does it come one again? I also saw today parts of a show called Saints Alive, which was interesting and educational.

Plus we are getting a new Archbishop in Phila. And they are televising it on EWTN, which is cool for us who have no money and can not get a ticket
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I don’t know. I just stumbled upon it. It might say on the link I posted.

Now they have on a cooking show with a priest in a collar. 😛
 
TrueLight said:
I don’t know. I just stumbled upon it. It might say on the link I posted.

Now they have on a cooking show with a priest in a collar. 😛
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lol I missed that one. I did just got done watching Saints of China;Martyrs about an hour or two ago. It was very educational and good
 
EzraJacob said:
🙂 Thank you for the great links!

I wanted to catch the movie/documentary on St. Clare of Assisi, but missed it 😦 Did you see it?
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I missed the special on Mother Clare.

I really enjoyed the interview with this actor. As I watched I noticed how much playing Bl. John Paul influenced his life.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF 🙂
 
JReducation said:
Those are wonderful movies. Piotr Adamczyk, the actor who played Bl. John Paul gave a very inspiring interview in Canada.

Interview with Piotr Adamcyk

Video Interview or Piotr Adamczyk

Enjoy! 😉

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF 🙂
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I’ve seen that movie on EWTN, via the Internet. At times it was very hard to watch, especially Part I, when it depicted his living through the Nazi occupation of his homeland in World War II. How cruel and sadistic the Nazis were!

It was also hard at times to watch the latter half of Part II when it dealt with his sufferings. I was crying at the end!

All in all, Mr. Adamczyk did a great job portraying his fellow countryman! And he’s a very nice-looking fellow in his own right! 👍 😉
 
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