EWTN: Network Gone Right

September 18, 2007 by ken88

You probably seen it on TV, or the Internet, but just in case: EWTN Solemn High Mass at Hanceville, AL. (The Whole Mass). Cardinal Mahony must have enjoyed it. EWTN does good work, I don’t understand some of my fellow “trads” who don’t like the station. Sure it’s not perfect, but where else are you going to see any overtly Catholic shows on TV that don’t make your cringe?

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Posted in Opinion | 13 Comments

13 Responses

on September 19, 2007 at 12:12 am M.J. Ernst-Sandoval

I have to say that I just can’t get into EWTN as much as I try. I find the vast majority of the programming unedifying. Now a few years ago, I was in Scranton for a fews days for work, and at the hotel I saw that they have a Byzantine Catholic Television Station up there that in many ways puts EWTN to shame! I found their programming very edifying.
on September 19, 2007 at 1:42 am Leticia

I must disagree. I have been watching EWTN for years, and have received solid teaching and encouragement to live my faith courageously.
I am applying for a FCC permit to broadcast EWTN radio on eastern Long Island, NY to a potential 50, 000 households. Please pray that EWTN is awarded the permit.
on September 19, 2007 at 6:58 am Michael

I love EWTN. Yes, it is sometimes boring–it is not “cool” or exciting–sometimes I prefer the SHIELD (my favorite–I really like Vic Mackery) or the WIRE on HBO (very real unfortunately) or the SIMPSONS.

BUT EWTN helped me convert.

EWTN was and is Orthodox (despite some Trad complaints) and helped me when I thought I was alone.

EWTN has the Mass, prayers, Chant etc.

EWTN has some interesting shows and guests–I am not so clerical too constantly watch religious programming but Fr. Mitch Pacwa SJ, the stuff on the Holy Land, the New Age, Arroyo and the News Show, Fr. Rutler, Fr. Benedict Groeschell, Fr. Triglieo, the Protestant former pastor converts, some of the old footage of Fulton Sheen or talks by St. Escriva or the coverage of the Pope etc–are all GREAT, interesting, orthodox, inspiring–and I like to watch them and learn.

I loved Mother Angelica who loves Jesus, loved Mary especially under the title of the Theotokos, loved the Pope, and teaches, loves, believes, and defends the REAL PRESENCE in the Eucharist. She is fiesty, a real Italian American, her mom became a nun, a real story of a real person who had real pain an hardships and ups and down and is loyal to the Church. It is sad she is sick but she is so dignified and showed up for the Traditional Latin Mass.

The Traditional Latin Mass (a bit long for me) was BEAUTIFUL, the MUSIC, the AD ORIENTEM, the bowing, kisses, gestures–just gorgeous–it demonstrates the belief in the REAL PRESENCE–the readings, the solid sermon–the reverence and dignity.
Traditionalists should love this. EWTN took a great first step in helping the Motu Propio.

I love and pray for EWTN.
I love and pray for Mother Angelica.
I think all the hosts are great–again I don’t always agree and I don’t want to watch nor should I watch constant religious programming but it is some good and interesting stuff.
No, the production value is not MTV but it is watchable and far more edifying than anything else on any station (including sports and Emeril)
on September 19, 2007 at 12:00 pm ken88

I agree, EWTN is good, it also helped in the beginning of my re-version. I learned alot about the Faith through their shows.

M.J.: Some of the things shown are a lil’ too “overtly enthuisiastic” for my taste (Like Life on the Rock). Way too sugary for Teenagers (their targeted audience). As for as the N.O. Mass goes, it is one of the more dignified.

Michael: I don’t think the Mass itself was that long, the sermon (it was good) took about 1/2 hour by itself. Mind you, it was a Solemn Mass.
on September 19, 2007 at 4:44 pm M.J. Ernst-Sandoval

It’s not so much the content that I don’t get much out of, but the delivery. Most (but not all) of the shows seem to target two age groups: those over 40, and those under 18. They seem to be missing most of us in the middle. Every time I’m watching TV with friends and we’re channel flipping eveyone sort of rolls their eyes when I pass by EWTN–and these are devout Catholics!

Also, I think part of it is the timing. Whenever I have been home during the day, I have found the programming a bit more interesting. It’s the evening line up that doesn’t appeal to me and others I know. I’m a big Fulton Sheen fan, though.

The other thing is that many of the evening shows are set up like talk shows, which many people my age have learned to tune out. Perhaps if they had more programs modeled after shows on the History or Discovery Channels… The younger generations are becoming increasingly visually stimulated. This is why the externals of the Catholic Church are VERY important to teaching the Faith these days. This blog is an excellent example of that!
on September 19, 2007 at 4:59 pm ken88

Thank you for the compliment M.J. Your blog is doing fine too. Every once in a while EWTN shows some Documentary pieces that are worthwhile, and of course Fulton Sheen. I also concur that there are a dearth of shows for mid-20′s-40′s. Either too sappy, or just druggery. I do like the one show with Raymond Arroyo, and the GK Chesteton series (if only they would make new ones)! And the Fr. Rutler show is good.
I agree with the Visualistic grasp of knowledge, the Church has capitulated the senses to the world. Trad Catholic sense of beauty should be used to pull people into the Faith. That partially how the TLM got me back in the Church.
on September 19, 2007 at 5:29 pm latinmass1983

I’ll just say that there are some reasons why I stopped watching EWTN. I used to watch it in a somewhat devout way 3 years ago, but then a lot of the shows/programs just don’t give what they used to. So, I stopped watching the entire network most of the time – “Life on the Rock” is a huge cause of this, I must say. That show completely turns me off and makes me not want to watch EWTN entirely! One of the friars (especially) acts as if he were 18 yrs old. I think that makes the show lose credibility! Instead of instructing the younger people in a serious (not stern, but serious) way, some of them try to appeal to the younger generation by behaving and talking like them. This is not good…

I do enjoy, however, “Super Saints” and some of the movies that they show from time to time. The one about St. Teresa of Avila is the best one! I also like Fulton Sheen and sometimes “The Web of Faith,” although they do try very hard to shove Vat. II in our faces every chance they get. It’s funny that Fr. Trigiglio has a bunch of books close to him and one of them is supposed to be the Roman Catechism (the one from the Council of Trent) and he never reads from it or quotes it as much as he should.

I’m not saying that he should exclude the New Catechism, but that he should use both. If the two Catechisms are sound in doctrine there should be no problem in using them both when talking about the same topic.

The Mass – I think it is better than what most people who attend the N.O. get, but it could use a little improvement regarding the vestments and the music (by the Celebrant). (Shiny -for big feast days- does not always mean beautiful!).
on September 19, 2007 at 5:38 pm ken88

I also like the Super Saints. The Mini-series of St. Theresa was good. Life on the Rock is the worst, it’s so “silly grinnish”, and World Youth Day-ish, ya just got to change the channel. When I was a teenager I would have just cynically mocked that show for trying to “act hip”, and it would brace up my idea (at the time) that Religion/Religious people were just “lame”. Just be serious (not stern, agreed), and overtly Catholic.
on September 20, 2007 at 1:37 am mja

Mass…Beautiful!

Singing…Awful!
on September 20, 2007 at 8:23 am Archistrategos

Have to agree about the singing, they sound bored more than half the time. Otherwise, the network itself is ok, save for the aforementioned ‘Life on the Rock’… what a horrible theme song!
on September 20, 2007 at 2:50 pm ken88

I didn’t think the singing was half-bad.
on September 20, 2007 at 3:05 pm Sanctus Belle

Ok, I guess I’m a total idiot because I don’t think Life on the Rock is such a bad show. Yes, it can be overyly enthusiastic, but where else do you find groups of young religious coming to talk about their vocation and order? How many souls have been directed due to this show? Where else do you find religious on fire and in love with our religion? The Q & A is good and I’m kinda embarassed to say I actually think the “friar cam” is funny. Give ‘em a break – they are at least trying where NO ONE else is. Try the faith formation at any given parish and SEE the desert which is our youth ministry….what a sad state we are in!
on September 21, 2007 at 3:11 am Al

I like EWTN– in fact I love EWTN. I think Life on the Rock and the religious music programs are pretty cool. I just wish more of our high school kids get to see it. I mean, I got more involved in the Church just by watching Life on the Rock in college. And I love the Daily Mass; whenever I catch it, my busy schedule allowing, that is. I feel that this is the Novus Ordo Mass done right.

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EWTN: Network Gone Right

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