Problems with EWTN

[netmilsmom]

I keep seeing people on this new forum state that they have a problem with EWTN.

Could you expound on it?

 

[tradcathconvert]

networkgonewrong.org/

 

[netmilsmom]

Okay, from that site in the interview with the author…

			**CFN: What do you mean when you say that EWTN promotes  				“moderate” Modernism.**
			 				**CF:** I mean a form of modernism — quite subtle really —  				that undermines the Faith beneath an outward appearance of  				piety, and even in combination with many good and praiseworthy  				elements in EWTN’s programming. For example, an image of the  				Blessed Sacrament in a monstrance accompanied by pounding rock  				music, or a so-called “conservative” Novus Ordo Mass that  				embodies every element demanded by the Protestant “reformers” in  				the 16th Century, or to give another example, good and pious  				statements about Jesus and Mary by a Jewish “convert” who says  				the Church is too Gentile for Jews and that Jews must have their  				own “Hebrew Catholic” community if they are to convert in any  				numbers.

So basically it is that people want them to be Traditional and not traditional. Is that right?
I am truly asking…

 

[ComradeAndrei]

CFN: You say in your book that EWTN effectively denies the de*fined, infallible Catholic doctrine “Outside the Church there is no salvation”.

CF: Most certainly. On EWTN shows conversion to the Faith is discussed entirely in terms of a “fullness” or “closer spiritual walk with Jesus” than people already have in Protestantism, and never in terms of conversion being a matter of spiritual life and death for the members of Protestant and schismatic “churches.” The Catholic Church is presented as the Cadillac of religions, while the others are still perfectly serviceable Buicks or Fords. And a number of EWTN “experts,” including Fr. Benedict Groeschel, openly declare essentially that the practitioners of all religions — all “good people,” really — are saved. The Church is presented as desirable, but not necessary for salvation. The sacraments are presented as promoting a spiritual “fullness,” but not as the means of salvation — directly contrary to the anathema of Trent. As Trent specifically declared in an infallible manner: let anyone who says the Sacraments instituted by Our Lord merely nourish Faith, but are not necessary for salvation, be anathema — that is accursed and expelled from the Church. But the Faith promoted by EWTN disregards every anathema of the Church concerning the objective necessity of membership in the Church for salvation. That is the ecumenical mindset. And EWTN promotes it to the hilt.

While I haven’t watched EWTN 24/7, what I have doesn’t seem to confirm to this. The true teaching of the Church that She is necessary for salvation must not be understood in Feeneyite terms.

CFN: You also point out that they effectively deny the need for dissidents to return to the Catholic Church.

CF: On EWTN there are no longer any non-Catholic “dissidents,” as the Popes constantly referred to them before Vatican II. There are only “brother Christians” of all stripes who are never told they are risking eternal damnation by remaining outside the Church. No, they are told only that they can have a “fullness of truth” in the Church. Even Jews are told they can have a “fullness of the covenant.” What covenant? They reject the only covenant that operates now: the covenant of the Blood of Christ.

Sounds like more Feeneyism.

CFN: EWTN has various “experts” to whom Catholics telephone or e-mail asking for guidance. Often times, the answers given are less than Catholic. Could you give us a few examples of EWTN “experts” wayward advice?

CF:…There is nothing wrong with Com*munion in the hand, and if we find it scandalous, the fault is ours. It goes on for more than 150 pages in the book.

Even though I don’t like this, the Church does allow it.

CFN: What do you hope this book achieves?

CF: Making people aware that what EWTN presents to the world as the “gold standard” of Roman Cath*olicism would have earned the condemnation of any Pope before Vatican II. I hope to warn Catholics not to accept a “sliding scale” of Catholicism much like that we have seen in politics, where today’s “conservative” would have been viewed as a liberal savage only 40 years ago. That is how Modernism destroys the Faith, by the gradual erosion of the very meaning of the Faith. My research has confirmed beyond doubt that, whatever the subjective intentions of its directors and celebrities — and I would never presume to judge them here or in the book — by any objective standard EWTN is a modernist enterprise promoting liturgical, doctrinal and even moral corruption. Catholics must oppose it, and demand that it reform itself or shut down.

While I need to read this book in order to see more in depth, it is often presumptuous to think that one knows what “pre-Vatican II” popes would teach or not.

I do think that modernism has done major damage to the Church, but this guy sounds awful conspiracy theory oriented. The “traditionalist” type who needs to look more carefully at their traditional texts.

 

[netmilsmom]

While I haven’t watched EWTN 24/7, what I have doesn’t seem to confirm to this. .

This is why I was wondering what the Posters here meant.

 

[Karin]

I keep seeing people on this new forum state that they have a problem with EWTN.

Could you expound on it?

Maybe their issues with EWTN is that it is a bit too reverent?

 

[whosebob]

networkgonewrong.org/

JMJ + OBT​

I read through that whole thing a few months ago. I consider myself to be somewhere “to the right” of modern conservative Catholicism *, and I think the accusations and false characterizations in that interview amount to a smelly load …

For example, an image of the Blessed Sacrament in a monstrance accompanied by pounding rock music

IMHO, EWTN does a fine job of reaching out to young Catholics who are searching for a bit more “meat” when it comes to the instruction they’re getting from a typical left-leaning AmChurch parish. Correct me, someone, if I’m wrong, but I don’t think EWTN actually ever celebrates and broadcasts the Rite of Benediction with rock music being played in the background – most of EWTN’s “in house” Benediction liturgies are broadcast from the Shrine in Irondale, Alabama, and the nuns there are always sing traditional Latin and/or English hymns and chants.

I think the person being interviewed had in mind some of the short montage pieces that play in between programs or program segments, particularly in relation to the Life on the Rock program. Again, that’s EWTN reaching out in a sensible and appropriate way to draw young people to a very solid presentation of the Catholic Faith.

or a so-called “conservative” Novus Ordo Mass that embodies every element demanded by the Protestant “reformers” in the 16th Century

That’s so stupid it makes me want to spit. Whatever the extrinsic defects of the modern Roman Rite, that’s the only option EWTN has for a daily broadcast of the Mass. At present, they are not allowed to broadcast any live or whole-recorded Traditional Latin Masses. The local bishop doesn’t even allow them to broadcast ad orientem Novus Ordo Masses. By the way, that’s the reason that Mass hasn’t been broadcast from the Shrine in Irondale for years and years. Mother Angelica insists on Masses there being celebrated ad orientem, and so according to the bishop’s standing rules, those Masses can’t be broadcast. Mother would almost surely allow TLMs to be celebrated at the Shrine (even if not broadcast) on a regular basis, but as far as I know the local bishop still doesn’t allow it.

or to give another example, good and pious statements about Jesus and Mary by a Jewish “convert” who says the Church is too Gentile for Jews and that Jews must have their own “Hebrew Catholic” community if they are to convert in any numbers.

Again, that’s an outrageous distortion of the wonderful broadcast presentations involving Jewish converts Rosalind Moss, Br. Bob Fishman, and Roy Schoeman over the years. They are nothing but loyal to the Church. To learn the not-so-scary truth about these Hebrew Catholics, please visit one of their websites: hebrewcatholic.org/.

So basically it is that people want them to be Traditional and not traditional. Is that right? I am truly asking…

I think it’s a mix of things. One, I think there is obviously some genuine, justified frustration on the part of Traditional Catholics concerning the state of the Catholic Church and their status in it, and some of them have chosen to vent it upon a highly visible, almost iconic, conservative Catholic organization. Then there is some natural but unfortunate jealously and also some rabidness at work here …

In the Hearts of Jesus and Mary.

IC XC NIKA*

 

[historyb]

I watch EWTN, while I don’t watch a great deal I haven’t seen a lot wrong. Of course I mainly watch Chesterton, Life is worth Living and Fr. Corapi

 

[Missa_Solemnis]

I keep seeing people on this new forum state that they have a problem with EWTN.

Could you expound on it?

The only problem I have with it is that sometimes when they are interviwing people, it all seems a bit too ecumenical.

Or at least it supports a dangerous ecumenism.

This may not be the case, but from what I have seen, I get that message.

 

[whosebob]

The only problem I have with it is that sometimes when they are interviwing people, it all seems a bit too ecumenical. Or at least it supports a dangerous ecumenism.This may not be the case, but from what I have seen, I get that message.

JMJ + OBT​

Can you give examples? Are you thinking of when Marcus Grodi interviews converts to the Catholic Faith and those men and women often speak positively of the faith traditions and communities to which they belonged over the years before they became members of the Catholic Church?

In Christ.

IC XC NIKA

 

[aimee]

I watch EWTN and like it very much and I consider it to compliment my faith:thumbsup:

 

[TNT]

If it’s not on the rabbit ear channels, I can’t watch it.
I didn’t realize trads let the cable/dish into their house
Yes, cell phones are ok.

 

[whosebob]

If it’s not on the rabbit ear channels, I can’t watch it.
I didn’t realize trads let the cable/dish into their house
Yes, cell phones are ok.

JMJ + OBT​

If you have the proper type of (generic) satellite dish and receiver/decoder, EWTN can be watched free of charge, i.e. no subscription to DirecTV or Dish Network is needed.

See this page on EWTN.com: ewtn.com/tv/download_satellites/DOMsatellite.asp

DIGITAL
EWTN Technical Information for Galaxy XI
US Domestic Digital Service

Satellite: Gal XI
Orbital Location: 91° WL
Transponder: 11C
Transponder Bandwidth: 36 MHz
Downlink Beam: CONUS
Downlink Frequency: 3920.0 MHz
Downlink Polarization: Horizontal
Carrier: SA MCPC CDV
Modulation Type: QPSK
Information Rate: 36 Mb/s
Symbol Rate: 26 Ms/s
FEC: R3/4
Allocated Bandwidth: 36MHz
Network ID: 3

Channel Assignments:

Virtual Channel #1: EWTN European Service
Virtual Channel #2: EWTN Pacific Rim Service
Virtual Channel #3: EWTN Spanish Service
Virtual Channel #4: EWTN Canadian Service
Virtual Channel #5: EWTN U.S. Domestic Digital Service
Virtual Channel #6: EWTN African Service
Virtual Channel #9: EWTN AM/FM Radio Service
Virtual Channel #10: Radio Paz
Virtual Channel #15: EWTN U.S. Domestic Service (AC3)
Virtual Channel #55: EWTN U.S. Domestic Service (MDR)​

ANALOG
EWTN TECHNICAL INFORMATION
for Galaxy 15 Analog

Satellite: Gal 15
Orbital Location: 133 W
Transponder: 11
Transponder Bandwidth: 36 MHz
Downlink Frequency: 3.920 GHz
Downlink Polarization: Horizontal
Video Standard (EWTN): NTSC
Audio: 6.2, 6.8Mhz EWTN English;
5.76Mhz EWTN Spanish

In the Hearts of Jesus and Mary.

IC XC NIKA

 

[Listener]

I don’t have access to a TV where I can watch this channel very often, but I have watched it at the home of a relative.

Every time I tune in, they seem to be discussing the evils of abortion. Now, I certainly agree that abortion is evil…that is not the problem. However, due to my age, it would be totally impossible for me to have an abortion, since it is totally impossible for me to get pregnant!

I have turned off the TV in disgust. I mean, suppose they had nothing but show after show on the evils of robbing banks, how much good would it do me to listen day after day?

Abortion is a great moral issue, but what do they gain by just saying the same thing over and over? It seem to me like they are preaching to the choir.

 

[LilyM]

If it’s not on the rabbit ear channels, I can’t watch it.
I didn’t realize trads let the cable/dish into their house
Yes, cell phones are ok.

Reminds me of the uber-Christian Ned Flanders on the Simpsons boasting about having cable … “Yes sir, 53 channels blocked out!”

 

[LilyM]

I don’t have access to a TV where I can watch this channel very often, but I have watched it at the home of a relative.

Every time I tune in, they seem to be discussing the evils of abortion. Now, I certainly agree that abortion is evil…that is not the problem. However, due to my age, it would be totally impossible for me to have an abortion, since it is totally impossible for me to get pregnant!

I have turned off the TV in disgust. I mean, suppose they had nothing but show after show on the evils of robbing banks, how much good would it do me to listen day after day?

Abortion is a great moral issue, but what do they gain by just saying the same thing over and over? It seem to me like they are preaching to the choir.

They do repeat programs fairly frequently, perhaps you were seeing some of the same ones repeated???

And it is an incredibly serious issue, we are talking legalised murder on an enormous scale here.

There are plenty of people who need information because they are dealing with people they know who are contemplating abortion, or they are counsellors or what have you.

 

[netmilsmom]

Every time I tune in, they seem to be discussing the evils of abortion. Now, I certainly agree that abortion is evil…that is not the problem. However, due to my age, it would be totally impossible for me to have an abortion, since it is totally impossible for me to get pregnant!.

Try the Saturday morning shows if you are where you can access it.

Some are going to be too young for you but some are for the “Tweens”. You may enjoy them.

 

[netmilsmom]

Thank you whosebob!
I was part of a traditional Catholic homeschooling group that had a huge FIT that Donut Man was being aired on EWTN. It was a PROTESTANT show. Now I watched it and saw nothing anti-Catholic. No it wasn’t “My Little Angels” with nuns and priest puppets but it was fun and my kids loved it.

Now, the man who is the “Donut Man” converted and is Catholic!

I was wondering if the EWTN thing is just a bit too far.
I think it may be.

 

[ComradeAndrei]

I was wondering if the EWTN thing is just a bit too far.
I think it may be.

It seems to me that some “traditionalists” can accept any other traditionalist/conservative/orthodox unless they are “TLM or bust” and understand Extra Ecclesia Nula Salus in a somewhat Feeneyite light.

I don’t see why we need to bring that nonsense over from those squabbling groups of folks in questionable or schismatic relations with Rome. I don’t see why all us traditional minded and orthodox Catholics cannot just get along enough to see the real problems that still exist instead of nitpicking and trying to be more trad than everyone else.

 

[Ceil-1]

Here, here!