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[chicago]

JW10631:

Accordign to Raymond Arroyo’s book, the (former) Bishop of Brimingham, David Fole, mandated at first that all Masses in the diocese of Birmingham be with the priest facing the people, and not to the East, even though ad orientum is permitted under the GIRM. Foley was urged to back off. Finally, Foley made the mandate for all televised Masses be with the priest facing the people. It was at this time that Mother Angelica had the cameras removed from the Monastery temple. When the Temple was dedicated by Bishop Foley, the Mass was celebrated ad orientum. Masses from Hanceville are not televised. According to Arroyo, Masses in Hanceville are celebrated ad orientum.

Thanks for the additional information and clarification. So Mother Angelica obviously made up a cover story at the time, then, not wanting to explain her real reasons for discontinuing televising Mass from the Shrine.

IncidentaIlly, after Bishop Foley picked this fight with Mother Angelica, his program on EWTN was cancelled.

I recall that. It was a real shame as he had an excellent show. One which certainly helped me and many others greatly.

According to the Diocese of Birmingham website, Bishop Foley retired on May 10, 2005 and has served as Administrator since May 19, 2005.

Speaking of which, when is the Vatican going to get around to appointing a replacement?

 

[irena]

monkeyman89:

I would like to see the Divine Liturgy every once in awhile.

I would love this, too!!! It would be nice if they could broadcast a Divine Liturgy every week, or at least once a month. There are so many beautiful Byzantine Catholic Churches that were built in the early 1900’s in the western PA area that have really wonderful choirs. My grandmother’s church was patterned after the Cathedral in Uzhorod, Ukraine and it is beautiful. Most of the Ruthenian-Byzantine Catholic churches now have Divine Liturgy in English, so that wouldn’t be a problem for a larger viewing audience. I doubt that rule in Birmingham against broadcasting priest praying ad orientum would apply to a Byzantine Rite Liturgy since that is the only way the priest prays, leading the faithful in prayer. And, it would give another avenue for broadcasting reverence and beauty.

Slavu Izusu Christu!

 

[Traditional_Ang]

chicago:

That said, I’ll tell you what I did used to like on EWTN as far as news. (This goes back about a dozen years). Archbishop Hannon (ironically, retired of New Orleans from where Raymond hails) used to have a quite excellent weekly show which covered a wide range of topics with a balanced view, I thought, along with the insightful perspctive of a well experienced prelate. If he’s in fair enough health, interview him sometime, Mr. Arroyo.

Chicago:

Mr. Arroyo had Bishop Hannon on twice after Katrina hit NO. and plans to have him on when he’s available to comment on the recovery.

Maybe you don’t watch the show as regulary as you’d like to think you do.

In Christ, Michael

 

[Traditional_Ang]

ABSOLUTELY!!!

Catholics in the United States almost never get to listen to these in Latin with traditional music. I bet if more heard it they would want it in their own Masses!

JW10631:

I concur in that opinion. The commentators for EWTN aren’t as bad as those for the networks used to be, but hearing inaccurate translations of the Latin from the English Mass is still distracting, esp., since the Latin is much more beautiful than the English in use nowadays.

If anything will force the people working on the Commission to make sure the latest edition of the Mass is as Heavenly as possible, and that will make the liturgy more Heavenly and less earthly.

In Christ, Michael

 

[Ruthmary]

La-Petite-Fleur:

P.S.- Some have mentioned they don’t prefer the British Lady. I really like her, I think her voice is beautiful, and I love listening to the short prayers, etc with her voice. Very serene.

I agree! I love her voice, and wish I knew who she was!

 

[chicago]

Speaking of accents, who else has heard The Latin Lover/i on radio, with Fr. Reggie and the lady with the unique accent (not sure what it is)? That show is pretty hilarious at times when they get going at it.

 

[Cactus]

toutestgrace:

One thing that I’d love to see changed (it’s petty, I know):
replace the British Lady voice for incidental prayers, etc. Too saccharine and therefore distracting.

I think her voice is wonderful. It reminds me that EWTN is a global network.

 

[Cactus]

RPConover:

Hire me… I could edit and produce better shows when I was in high school…

Yeah, right.

 

[chicago]

Traditional Ang:

Chicago:

Mr. Arroyo had Bishop Hannon on twice after Katrina hit NO. and plans to have him on when he’s available to comment on the recovery.

Maybe you don’t watch the show as regulary as you’d like to think you do.

In Christ, Michael

You’re absolutely right. I used to watch Ray’s show with regularity (as in every week) from the time it first started some years ago. In the past couple of years I hardly catch it anymore, considering some of the critiques which I and others have raised here. Thanks for noting that he has, indeed, finally invited the excellent excelency as his guest. That’s very good to hear. I hope he continues to employ Archbishop Hannon. I would like to say, “It’s about time!” afterall, yet I recognize that one of the difficulties up until now may have been that the Archbishop had his own media apostolate (a noble endeavor in it’s own right which few ever knew about) independent from EWTN. The reality is that before EWTN began running The World Over, Archbishop Hannon had been collaborating as a part of their apostolate and was often seen much more frequently on their network. After Arroyo came aboard, Hannon got cut. I generally like Ray and appreciate what he has to offer on some levels; but I do think that this move was ultimately a step down rather than up. Be assured that Hannon has much, MUCH more to offer than merely commentary on New Orleans hurricane recovery.

 

[CindyGia]

mike182d:

they built a new monestery (nunery?) away from the studio.

A “nunnery?” You make it sound like they are there to lay eggs or something.

It’s called a Monastery.

 

[chicago]

CindyGia:

A “nunnery?” You make it sound like they are there to lay eggs or something.

It’s called a Monastery.

“nunnery” is an old term which some used to employ.

 

[johnnykins]

“nunnery” is an old term which some used to employ.

It’s far ruder than that. Has no one here read Hamlet? If so, you need to know it’s Elizabethan slang for a house of ill repute.

 

[JW10631]

I sincerely wish that EWTN would broadcast a weekly Divine Liturgy. Living in the Pittsburgh area, it is not uncommon to see a Byzantine Catholic Church or a Ukranian Catholic Church. There is a Byzantine Catholic parish in Birmingham.
Although I am not Byzantine, I am Slavic (Polish) and +John Paul II+ of eternal memory had a deep love of the East.

All of the Eastern Catholic Churches - those of the Byzantine tradition as well as the Chaldeans, Syro-Malabars, Syro-Malankars, Maronites and Copts are here in the United States. One of the most beautiful parts of the funeral liturgy of +Pope John Paul+ of eternal memory was the part where the Patriarchs of the Eastern Churches encircled the casket, chanted and prayed.

The issue is money. If there were enough money to do it each week, I think EWTN would be welcome to the idea of the Divine Liturgy.
We have to remember that, with their current budget, they also have a Spanish language network that broadcasts not only in the United States but all over Latin America and Spain as well. Heaven knows that the Catholics in Latin America are in need of EWTN as well.

 

[Rolltide]

Or just a show that each week visits an outstanding parish, with outstanding liturgy.

One of their shows (I don’t know the name offhand) that features various religious musical selections sung by choir is hosted from the stunningly beautiful St. Elias Maronite Catholic Church in Birmingham.

 

[Rolltide]

I sincerely wish that EWTN would broadcast a weekly Divine Liturgy. Living in the Pittsburgh area, it is not uncommon to see a Byzantine Catholic Church or a Ukranian Catholic Church. There is a Byzantine Catholic parish in Birmingham.
Although I am not Byzantine, I am Slavic (Polish) and +John Paul II+ of eternal memory had a deep love of the East.

All of the Eastern Catholic Churches - those of the Byzantine tradition as well as the Chaldeans, Syro-Malabars, Syro-Malankars, Maronites and Copts are here in the United States. One of the most beautiful parts of the funeral liturgy of +Pope John Paul+ of eternal memory was the part where the Patriarchs of the Eastern Churches encircled the casket, chanted and prayed.

The issue is money. If there were enough money to do it each week, I think EWTN would be welcome to the idea of the Divine Liturgy.
We have to remember that, with their current budget, they also have a Spanish language network that broadcasts not only in the United States but all over Latin America and Spain as well. Heaven knows that the Catholics in Latin America are in need of EWTN as well.

There are actually TWO Eastern Catholic parishes within a mile or so of each other in downtown Birmingham - St. George Greek Melkite Catholic Church and St. Elias Maronite Catholic Church. EWTN did recently air the Syro-Malankar Divine Liturgy, and just offered a three-part series on the Maronite Church, so things are looking up on that front. I agree, that EWTN needs an infusion of money to improve programming, but it does great with its limited resources.

As to showing the Tridentine Mass, that won’t happen until a new Bishop is selected. Bishop Foley happened to retire just as Pope John Paul II died, so it kinda got pushed to the back burner.

Here’s just a couple of my own ideas I thought I’d throw out.

1. For those who don’t like the commentary on the Vatican masses, offer the commentary on the Second Audio Program track. Then you can select it at your leisure!
2. Have a series depicting one complete Mass / Divine Liturgy, with commentary, from each of the branches of the Western and Eastern Churches. (The Tridentine would of course be included as well.) They could each be from unique and beautiful parishes across the US. It would not only be fascinating, but inexpensive to produce. You could even include the more unusual Western services, like the rarely seen Mozarabic, Dominican, or Ambrosian Rites.

 

[JKirkLVNV]

I agree! I love her voice, and wish I knew who she was!

She’s one of the nuns. They showed her on one of the anniversary shows in one of the cities (can’t remember which), sitting next to Mother Catherine (the Mother Vicar).

 

[PLAL]

I like EWTN just the way it is. Change can be negative.

I do like Relevant Radio but all of the changes they have made over the last two years has made it worse. Relevant Radio is still much better than listening to secular radio but it used to be excellent.

Keep EWTN the way it is. It’s excellent right now.

 

[Elzee]

I do like Relevant Radio but all of the changes they have made over the last two years has made it worse. Relevant Radio is still much better than listening to secular radio but it used to be excellent.

I agree. I still listen and think it’s good, but it used to be much better.

 

[Lucania]

The British Voice on the EWTN commercials is from Alabama–it’s one of the Nuns.

I thought the voice came from one of the Nuns at EWTN but wasn’t sure. I think it has a very nice, soothing sound to it.

 

[homewardbound]

It’s far ruder than that. Has no one here read Hamlet? If so, you need to know it’s Elizabethan slang for a house of ill repute.

Can’t be assumed its being used in a rude way since not everyone has read Hamlet(I haven’t) Some people just aren’t sure what they’re called formally. My boyfriend’s now deceased father used to jokingly refer to them as nunnerys merely out of jest and no disrespect I’m sure considering they are a very devout Catholic family. I’ve heard several other people do so, not out of disrespect, but just because its a term they’ve heard perhaps and don’t know what else to call them.

Anyway, I think, like anything else, EWTN has its good and its room for improvement. Someday I hope to have the means to help them in any way I can, because their messege and goal is a great one. They have helped me alot in my conversion to Catholicism. Its from EWTN that I learned how to pray the rosary and discovered all about Mary and the saints. In fact, its where I found my patron saint…from a movie about her. I do hope the veiwers of EWTN will contribute more to help them stay afloat because I think its the best station out there.