EWTN's website: Any news?

[Peter_J]

Before posing my question, let me provide a little background. For anyone unfamiliar with the Catholic Q&A page on EWTN’s website, it is comprised of 13 sections: Spirituality, Liturgy, Pro-Life Issues, Doctrine, Canon Law, NFP, Apologetics (done by our own Catholic Answers), Moral Law, General Questions, Scripture, History, Philosophy, and Eastern Catholic Churches.

That last one, Eastern Catholic Churches, used to be done by Dr. Anthony Dragani, but I recently learned that he has left that post, and EWTN has not yet found a replacement for him – or at least the website doesn’t mention having found a replacement.

I was just wondering if there’s anyone here who can tell me anything more – e.g. how their search is going, and when they might have the Eastern Catholic Churches section back up and running. (It’s been more than a year since Dr. Dragani left.)

Thanks in advance and blessings to all,
-Peter.

 

[Friar_David_O.Carm]

I think the only way to get a true answer to this would be to inquire at EWTN. I do not believe that anyone here works there or is familiar enough to answer such a question.

FYI, even if Anthony Dragani was still there I do not believe that he would have been the solution you are looking for as some Eastern Catholics do not care for his point of view on things as he hold to the Catholic first idea I have spoken about in another thread.

That is just one of many objections some have of him.

 

[Peter_J]

FYI, even if Anthony Dragani was still there I do not believe that he would have been the solution you are looking for as some Eastern Catholics do not care for his point of view on things as he hold to the Catholic first idea I have spoken about in another thread.

That is just one of many objections some have of him.

I think you’re just determined to focus on the negative. In my experience, most Eastern Catholics have been extremely happy with Dr. Dragani.

On the other hand, I worry a little about the possible effect of the Eastern Catholic Churches section being closed down for an extensive period of time. Not that 1 year is “extensive”, but I mean what if it’s another year or two before they find a replacement?

Hmm, I guess now I’m focusing on the negative. freesmileys.org/smileys/ad/seehearspeak.gif


God bless,
Peter.

 

[Friar_David_O.Carm]

I think you’re just determined to focus on the negative. In my experience, most Eastern Catholics have been extremely happy with Dr. Dragani.

On the other hand, I worry a little about the possible effect of the Eastern Catholic Churches section being closed down for an extensive period of time. Not that 1 year is “extensive”, but I mean what if it’s another year or two before they find a replacement?

Hmm, I guess now I’m focusing on the negative. freesmileys.org/smileys/ad/seehearspeak.gif


God bless,
Peter.

Don’t get me wrong, Dr Dragani is great but I think you might not frequent the same Eastern Christianity forums that I used to until I was chased away for the same views and for going so far as to join a Latin order.

As for EWTN, I would make that a last place to get answers as they are not always quick in suppling them nor are they always accurate. Dr Dragani fixed that a bit for the Eastern Catholic stuff but now that he is gone, who knows what will come next.

But again, I suggest that you ask EWTN how the search is going as I do not see how anyone here can know that.

 

[Peter_J]

As for EWTN, I would make that a last place to get answers as they are not always quick in suppling them nor are they always accurate.

I guess I’m of two minds on that point. I can see how someone might say “It’s no big deal if that section of EWTN’s site is down. Just post your question on either a Eastern Catholic discussion forum [which I myself have done, incidentally, on a number of occasions, and as recently as last week] or on an Eastern subforum of a Catholic discussion forum [such as this one right here].”

But I can also think of a couple of objection to that. To avoid over-analyzing it, let me just say that Catholic discussion forums and Catholic Q&A forums, while both very good and helpful, and also very different from each other. Ideally, we should have both. (Conversely, if all Eastern Catholic discussion forums, including Eastern sub-forums on Catholic discussion forums, were to disappear, I would expect them to be greatly missed even if there was an Eastern Catholic Q&A forum to fill the void.)

Dr Dragani fixed that a bit for the Eastern Catholic stuff but now that he is gone, who knows what will come next.

That’s how I feel as well.

But again, I suggest that you ask EWTN how the search is going as I do not see how anyone here can know that.

Thus far I’ve done the next best thing: I searched the already-asked questions for anything along those lines. The only thing that turned up is the post from about a year ago, announcing Dr. Dragani’s departure. I’ll post it here for anyone who hasn’t read it before. (The General Questions section isn’t available at the moment; I’ll keeping check and post the question there when I can.)

For several years now Anthony Dragani has served as moderator of EWTN’s Eastern Catholic Churches Forum. During this time he has handled the many questions posed to him with expertise and charity. He now moves on to pursue his own ecumenical apostolate East2West.

On behalf of EWTN we thank Dr. Dragani for his outstanding service to EWTN’s website and its visitors and we wish him God speed in all his endeavors on behalf of the Lord and His Church.

• Colin Donovan

P.S. EWTN intends to continue this Forum with a new moderator as soon as practicable. Please bear with us.

 

[Amadeus]

Anthony’s departure from EWTN’s Q&A was accelerated (or it was probably the main reason) when he was accepted for a paid teaching position in one of the Catholic colleges on the East coast.

Perhaps, there is no sufficient time for him to juggle both.

 

[Joe_Kelley]

I would suggest that their salary structure for their experts probably makes recruitment difficult.

To the best of my knowledge all are volunteers. Unfortunately not all of their questioners are appreciative of that.