Eternal Word Television Network - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

The Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN) is an American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

Cable television

Cable television is a system of providing television programs to consumers via radio frequency signals transmitted to televisions through coaxial cables or digital light pulses through fixed optical fibers located on the subscriber's property, much like the over-the-air method used in traditional...

television

Television

Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...

network which presents Catholic

Catholicism

Catholicism is a broad term for the body of the Catholic faith, its theologies and doctrines, its liturgical, ethical, spiritual, and behavioral characteristics, as well as a religious people as a whole....

-themed programming. It was founded in 1980 by Mother Mary Angelica of the Annunciation

Mother Angelica

Mother Mary Angelica of the Annunciation, PCPA is an American Roman Catholic nun who founded the Eternal Word Television Network. In 1944 she entered the Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration, a Franciscan religious order for women, as a postulant, and a year later she was admitted to the order as a...

, PCPA (born Rita Antoinette Rizzo). EWTN received its license from the Federal Communications Commission

Federal Communications Commission

The Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, created, Congressional statute , and with the majority of its commissioners appointed by the current President. The FCC works towards six goals in the areas of broadband, competition, the spectrum, the...

on January 27, 1981 and began broadcasting on August 15, 1981 from a garage at the Our Lady of the Angels monastery

Monastery

Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...

in Irondale

Irondale, Alabama

Irondale is a city adjacent to Birmingham, Alabama, United States northeast from Homewood and Mountain Brook. At the 2010 census the population was 12,349. The book Fried Green Tomatoes, by Irondale native Fannie Flagg, is loosely based around the town and the landmark Irondale Cafe, known as The...

, Alabama

Alabama

Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...

.

Initially offering four hours of programming per day, EWTN began broadcasting around the clock in 1987. Shortwave radio

Radio

Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...

station WEWN

WEWN

WEWN is the shortwave radio outlet of the Eternal Word Television Network, a large Catholic international broadcaster. The station broadcasts from the city of Irondale, Alabama, on the outskirts of Birmingham with a high transmitter power of 500 kilowatts...

was established in 1992, and, in 1996, they began broadcasting on AM

Amplitude modulation

Amplitude modulation is a technique used in electronic communication, most commonly for transmitting information via a radio carrier wave. AM works by varying the strength of the transmitted signal in relation to the information being sent...

/FM

Frequency modulation

In telecommunications and signal processing, frequency modulation conveys information over a carrier wave by varying its instantaneous frequency. This contrasts with amplitude modulation, in which the amplitude of the carrier is varied while its frequency remains constant...

radio. EWTN also has a presence on Sirius Satellite Radio

Sirius Satellite Radio

Sirius Satellite Radio is a satellite radio service operating in North America, owned by Sirius XM Radio.Headquartered in New York City, with smaller studios in Los Angeles and Memphis, Sirius was officially launched on July 1, 2002 and currently provides 69 streams of music and 65 streams of...

and offers Spanish

Spanish language

Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...

broadcasts on all platforms. High-definition broadcasts began on December 8, 2009.

In addition to regular programs such as a daily Mass

Mass (liturgy)

"Mass" is one of the names by which the sacrament of the Eucharist is called in the Roman Catholic Church: others are "Eucharist", the "Lord's Supper", the "Breaking of Bread", the "Eucharistic assembly ", the "memorial of the Lord's Passion and Resurrection", the "Holy Sacrifice", the "Holy and...

and a daily praying

Prayer

Prayer is a form of religious practice that seeks to activate a volitional rapport to a deity through deliberate practice. Prayer may be either individual or communal and take place in public or in private. It may involve the use of words or song. When language is used, prayer may take the form of...

of the Rosary

Rosary

The rosary or "garland of roses" is a traditional Catholic devotion. The term denotes the prayer beads used to count the series of prayers that make up the rosary...

, EWTN presents a variety of daily and weekly news, talk, and educational shows for adults and children. When necessary, special programming is also presented, such as the recent beatification

Beatification and canonisation of Pope John Paul II

Pope John Paul II reigned as pope of the Roman Catholic Church and sovereign of Vatican City for almost 27 years. Since his death on 2 April 2005, many thousands of people have been supporting the case for beatifying and canonising the late Pope John Paul II as a saint...

of Blessed Pope John Paul II

Pope John Paul II

Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...

. Mother Angelica herself hosted her own show, Mother Angelica Live, but a series of health issues (most notably a severe stroke

Stroke

A stroke, previously known medically as a cerebrovascular accident , is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia caused by blockage , or a hemorrhage...

in 2001), forced her to give it up. Aged 88, she currently resides at the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament in Hanceville

Hanceville, Alabama

Hanceville is a city in Cullman County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 2,951.-Geography:Hanceville is located at .According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land....

, Alabama and rarely appears on television in new programming. Reruns of her live show now air as Mother Angelica Live Classics and The Best of Mother Angelica Live. She leads other nun

Nun

A nun is a woman who has taken vows committing her to live a spiritual life. She may be an ascetic who voluntarily chooses to leave mainstream society and live her life in prayer and contemplation in a monastery or convent...

s of her order

Religious order

A religious order is a lineage of communities and organizations of people who live in some way set apart from society in accordance with their specific religious devotion, usually characterized by the principles of its founder's religious practice. The order is composed of initiates and, in some...

, the Franciscans in the taped daily praying of the Rosary.

EWTN is a member of the World Catholic Association for Communication.

EWTN has occasionally been the subject of criticism for its social

Society

A society, or a human society, is a group of people related to each other through persistent relations, or a large social grouping sharing the same geographical or virtual territory, subject to the same political authority and dominant cultural expectations...

, political

Politics

Politics is a process by which groups of people make collective decisions. The term is generally applied to the art or science of running governmental or state affairs, including behavior within civil governments, but also applies to institutions, fields, and special interest groups such as the...

and theological positions

Theology

Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...

. Notably, in 2008, the Holy See

Holy See

The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...

sent an Apostolic visitor

Apostolic visitor

In the Catholic Church, an apostolic visitor is a papal representative with a transient mission to perform a canonical visitation of relatively short duration...

to the network to investigate claims. Believing that it could possibly endanger the network's independence, Mother Angelica turned EWTN over to a board of governors composed exclusively of lay people

Laity

In religious organizations, the laity comprises all people who are not in the clergy. A person who is a member of a religious order who is not ordained legitimate clergy is considered as a member of the laity, even though they are members of a religious order .In the past in Christian cultures, the...

. While the network has trustees, it does not have shareholder

Shareholder

A shareholder or stockholder is an individual or institution that legally owns one or more shares of stock in a public or private corporation. Shareholders own the stock, but not the corporation itself ....

s or owners. A majority of the network's funding is from viewer donations. Its traditional plea to donors is, "Remember to keep us between your gas

Gasoline

Gasoline , or petrol , is a toxic, translucent, petroleum-derived liquid that is primarily used as a fuel in internal combustion engines. It consists mostly of organic compounds obtained by the fractional distillation of petroleum, enhanced with a variety of additives. Some gasolines also contain...

and electric

Electricity

Electricity is a general term encompassing a variety of phenomena resulting from the presence and flow of electric charge. These include many easily recognizable phenomena, such as lightning, static electricity, and the flow of electrical current in an electrical wire...

bill". The current president is Michael P. Warsaw.

Development of EWTN

Mother Angelica made her profession of vows

Religious vows

Religious vows are the public vows made by the members of religious communities pertaining to their conduct, practices and views.In the Buddhist tradition, in particular within the Mahayana and Vajrayana tradition, many different kinds of religious vows are taken by the lay community as well as by...

in 1953. In 1962, she established the Our Lady of the Angels monastery. During the 1970s, she was an in-demand lecturer and produced educational

Religious education

In secular usage, religious education is the teaching of a particular religion and its varied aspects —its beliefs, doctrines, rituals, customs, rites, and personal roles...

audio

Compact Cassette

The Compact Cassette, often referred to as audio cassette, cassette tape, cassette, or simply tape, is a magnetic tape sound recording format. It was designed originally for dictation, but improvements in fidelity led the Compact Cassette to supplant the Stereo 8-track cartridge and reel-to-reel...

and video

Videotape

A videotape is a recording of images and sounds on to magnetic tape as opposed to film stock or random access digital media. Videotapes are also used for storing scientific or medical data, such as the data produced by an electrocardiogram...

tapes. She had been a guest on local station WBMG

WIAT

WIAT, virtual channel 42, is the CBS-affiliated television station in the Birmingham/Tuscaloosa/Anniston/Gadsden, Alabama television market. Licensed to Birmingham, it broadcasts its digital signal on UHF channel 30, although through the use of PSIP, the station's virtual channel number is...

(formerly WIAT), and on shows on the Christian Broadcasting Network

Christian Broadcasting Network

The Christian Broadcasting Network, or CBN, is a fundamentalist Christian television broadcasting network in the United States. Its headquarters and main studios are in Virginia Beach, Virginia.-Background:...

and the Trinity Broadcasting Network

Trinity Broadcasting Network

The Trinity Broadcasting Network is a major American Christian television network. TBN is based in Costa Mesa, California, with auxiliary studio facilities in Irving, Texas; Hendersonville, Tennessee; Gadsden, Alabama; Decatur, Georgia; Miami, Florida; Tulsa, Oklahoma; Orlando, Florida; and New...

. After she gave an interview on then-Christian

Christianity

Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...

station WCFC TV 38 in Chicago, she decided she wanted her own network. "I walked in, and it was just a little studio, and I remember standing in the doorway and thinking, 'It doesn't take much to reach the masses'. I just stood there and said to the Lord, 'Lord, I've got to have one of these'".

Mother Angelica purchased satellite

Satellite

In the context of spaceflight, a satellite is an object which has been placed into orbit by human endeavour. Such objects are sometimes called artificial satellites to distinguish them from natural satellites such as the Moon....

space and EWTN began broadcasting on August 15, 1981 with four hours of daily programming, which included her own show, Mother Angelica Live (aired two nights a week), a Sunday Mass, and reruns of older Catholic programs such as Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen's

Fulton J. Sheen

Servant of God Fulton John Sheen, born Peter John Sheen was an American archbishop of the Catholic Church known for his preaching and especially his work on television and radio...

Life Is Worth Living

Life is Worth Living

Life is Worth Living is an inspirational American television series which ran on the DuMont Television Network from February 12, 1952 to April 26, 1955, then on ABC until 1957.-Broadcast history:Hosted by Bishop Fulton J...

. The remainder of the time was filled with shows produced by diocese

Diocese

A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...

s across the country, shows from Protestant

Protestantism

Protestantism is one of the three major groupings within Christianity. It is a movement that began in Germany in the early 16th century as a reaction against medieval Roman Catholic doctrines and practices, especially in regards to salvation, justification, and ecclesiology.The doctrines of the...

sources which Mother Angelica determined were in concert with Catholic teachings, and children's shows such as Joy Junction and The Sunshine Factory. About one-third of programming time consisted of secular content, such as re-runs of The Bill Cosby Show

The Bill Cosby Show

The Bill Cosby Show is an American situation comedy that aired for two seasons on NBC's Sunday night schedule from 1969 until 1971, under the sponsorship of Procter & Gamble. There were 52 episodes made in the series. It marked Cosby's first solo foray in television, after his co-starring role with...

, public domain

Public domain

Works are in the public domain if the intellectual property rights have expired, if the intellectual property rights are forfeited, or if they are not covered by intellectual property rights at all...

films, and cooking

Cooking show

A TV cooking show is a television program that presents the preparation of food, in a kitchen on the studio set. The host of the show, often a celebrity chef, prepares one or more dishes over the course of the show, taking the viewing audience through the food's preparation showing all...

and western

Western (genre)

The Western is a genre of various visual arts, such as film, television, radio, literature, painting and others. Westerns are devoted to telling stories set primarily in the latter half of the 19th century in the American Old West, hence the name. Some Westerns are set as early as the Battle of...

-themed shows. ETWN eventually expanded to 6 hours a day and then to eight hours a day by 1986. Secular

Secularity

Secularity is the state of being separate from religion.For instance, eating and bathing may be regarded as examples of secular activities, because there may not be anything inherently religious about them...

content was gradually reduced from 1986 to 1988, and satellite distribution

Satellite television

Satellite television is television programming delivered by the means of communications satellite and received by an outdoor antenna, usually a parabolic mirror generally referred to as a satellite dish, and as far as household usage is concerned, a satellite receiver either in the form of an...

was expanded late in 1987, whereupon EWTN began broadcasting around the clock when it acquired a far more desirable satellite channel. At this point, EWTN began broadcasting the praying of the rosary on a daily basis and added a number of educational shows. Production of original programming gradually increased. The Mass, which formerly aired on a weekly basis, became televised daily in 1991 from a chapel on the monastery grounds. By then most shows from non-Catholic sources had been gradually dropped and a more theologically

Theology

conservative

Conservative Christianity

Conservative Christianity is a term applied to a number of groups or movements seen as giving priority to traditional Christian beliefs and practices...

image gradually developed.

Radio

In 1992, EWTN established the largest privately-owned shortwave radio station, WEWN, in the Birmingham area.

In 1999, programs included "Mother Angelica

Mother Angelica

Live" and "Life Is Worth Living" with Fulton J. Sheen

Fulton J. Sheen

Servant of God Fulton John Sheen, born Peter John Sheen was an American archbishop of the Catholic Church known for his preaching and especially his work on television and radio...

. WGSN

WNMB

WNMB is an oldies music formatted radio station licensed to North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, USA, and serves the greater Myrtle Beach area. The Norman Communications, Inc., outlet is licensed by the Federal Communications Commission to broadcast at 900 kHz with a TPO of 500W...

in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

North Myrtle Beach is a coastal resort city in Horry County, South Carolina, United States. It was created in 1968 from four existing municipalities north of Myrtle Beach, and serves as one of the primary tourist towns along the Grand Strand...

was an affiliate.

In 2004, EWTN announced an agreement with Sirius Satellite Radio (which has since merged with XM Radio to become Sirius XM Radio).

Newspapers

In January 2011, EWTN acquired the National Catholic Register, a newspaper founded in Denver, Colorado

Colorado

Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...

in 1924 as a periodical for local Catholics which became a national publication three years later. EWTN officially assumed total control on February 1.

News Coverage

The EWTN news department produces a daily news service for television and radio, featuring news sources including Vatican Radio

Vatican Radio

Vatican Radio is the official broadcasting service of the Vatican.Set up in 1931 by Guglielmo Marconi, today its programs are offered in 47 languages, and are sent out on short wave , medium wave, FM, satellite and the Internet. The Jesuit Order has been charged with the management of Vatican...

. They also produce The World Over Live, which covers relevant current events. It is hosted by journalist

Journalism

Journalism is the practice of investigation and reporting of events, issues and trends to a broad audience in a timely fashion. Though there are many variations of journalism, the ideal is to inform the intended audience. Along with covering organizations and institutions such as government and...

and author Raymond Arroyo

Raymond Arroyo

Raymond Arroyo is a New York Times bestselling author, and a producer. He is the news director and lead anchor of EWTN News, the news division of the Eternal Word Television Network, a Catholic broadcast network founded by Mother Angelica, a nun of the Poor Clare order...

, who is also EWTN's news director. The program is conservative

Conservatism

Conservatism is a political and social philosophy that promotes the maintenance of traditional institutions and supports, at the most, minimal and gradual change in society. Some conservatives seek to preserve things as they are, emphasizing stability and continuity, while others oppose modernism...

in its political orientation and generally conservative in its religious orientation. Notable guests have included Robert Rector of the Heritage Foundation

Heritage Foundation

The Heritage Foundation is a conservative American think tank based in Washington, D.C. Heritage's stated mission is to "formulate and promote conservative public policies based on the principles of free enterprise, limited government, individual freedom, traditional American values, and a strong...

, author and activist George Weigel

George Weigel

George Weigel is an American author, and political and social activist. He currently serves as a Distinguished Senior Fellow of the Ethics and Public Policy Center. Weigel was the Founding President of the James Madison Foundation...

, political commentator Laura Ingraham

Laura Ingraham

Laura Anne Ingraham is an American radio host, author, and conservative political commentator. Her nationally syndicated talk show, The Laura Ingraham Show, airs throughout the United States on Talk Radio Network...

, conservative political commentator Pat Buchanan

Pat Buchanan

Patrick Joseph "Pat" Buchanan is an American paleoconservative political commentator, author, syndicated columnist, politician and broadcaster. Buchanan was a senior adviser to American Presidents Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, and Ronald Reagan, and was an original host on CNN's Crossfire. He sought...

, and the late columnist and commentator Robert Novak

Robert Novak

Robert David Sanders "Bob" Novak was an American syndicated columnist, journalist, television personality, author, and conservative political commentator. After working for two newspapers before serving for the U.S. Army in the Korean War, he became a reporter for the Associated Press and then for...

, a Jewish convert to Catholicism.

History of programming

In its early history, EWTN broadcast Catholic-produced programming from a wide variety of Catholic sources. This ranged from Catholic charismatic programming such as Fr. Michael Manning

Michael Manning

Michael Manning may refer to:* Michael Manning , the last person to be executed in the Republic of Ireland* Michael Manning *Mick Manning, children's author and illustrator*Mike Manning, musician...

, to shows focusing on social reform and social justice

Social justice

Social justice generally refers to the idea of creating a society or institution that is based on the principles of equality and solidarity, that understands and values human rights, and that recognizes the dignity of every human being. The term and modern concept of "social justice" was coined by...

, such as Christopher Closeup, to doctrinal teaching

Catechism of the Catholic Church

The Catechism of the Catholic Church is the official text of the teachings of the Catholic Church. A provisional, "reference text" was issued by Pope John Paul II on October 11, 1992 — "the thirtieth anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Ecumenical Council" — with his apostolic...

shows hosted by various clergy.

In the early 1990s, EWTN began producing more of its own shows. This marked a distinctive conservative shift in the network's overall orientation, with programs featuring topics on social reform and justice gradually being phased out and replaced with general doctrinal teaching and discussion programs. This shift was apparent in the daily televised Masses, which, in 1992, began incorporating Latin

Latin

Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...

into the liturgy

Liturgy

Liturgy is either the customary public worship done by a specific religious group, according to its particular traditions or a more precise term that distinguishes between those religious groups who believe their ritual requires the "people" to do the "work" of responding to the priest, and those...

and gradually no longer featuring contemporary music. Some non-televised Masses are in all English

English language

English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...

. On Christmas

Christmas

Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...

Eve

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve refers to the evening or entire day preceding Christmas Day, a widely celebrated festival commemorating the birth of Jesus of Nazareth that takes place on December 25...

1993, Mother Angelica and the nuns of her order reverted to traditional habits

Religious habit

A religious habit is a distinctive set of garments worn by members of a religious order. Traditionally some plain garb recognisable as a religious habit has also been worn by those leading the religious eremitic and anachoritic life, although in their case without conformity to a particular uniform...

.

EWTN has programs discussing non-Catholic beliefs from the Catholic perspective, such as The Journey Home. Host Marcus Grodi is a former Presbyterian minister who converted

Religious conversion

Religious conversion is the adoption of a new religion that differs from the convert's previous religion. Changing from one denomination to another within the same religion is usually described as reaffiliation rather than conversion.People convert to a different religion for various reasons,...

to Catholicism in 1992. Guests are generally former Protestants or "cradle Catholics" who left the Catholic faith and later returned. Former adherents of non-Christian

Christianity

Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...

faiths (such as Judaism

Judaism

Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...

) and former atheists

Atheism

Atheism is, in a broad sense, the rejection of belief in the existence of deities. In a narrower sense, atheism is specifically the position that there are no deities...

have occasionally appeared.

Sunday Night Prime (formerly "Sunday Night Live with Fr. Benedict Groeschel

Benedict Groeschel

Benedict Joseph Groeschel, CFR is a Catholic priest, retreat master, author, psychologist, activist and host of the television talk program Sunday Night Prime with Father Benedict Groeschel, which is broadcast on the Eternal Word Television Network. He has also hosted several serial religious...

") hosts theological and doctrinal discussions from viewers. Groeschel, in addition to being a priest, is also a trained psychologist

Psychology

Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...

.

EWTN HD, a high definition simulcast of EWTN, became available to affiliates on December 8, 2009. CEO Michael P. Warsaw said "We chose to launch HD in December so we could bring our viewers all the beautiful images of the Christmas season using the most advanced technology. We are proud to say that we are the only Catholic television network available in this format." The HD feed first became available to Comcast customers in Richmond, VA and vicinity on May 11, 2010.

In October 2011, EWTN became available through the Roku

Roku

Roku , is an American, privately held, consumer electronics company that sells home digital media products. The Company is based in Saratoga, California.- Company profile and products :...

streaming player. The player provides free live feeds of the English and Spanish channels of EWTN, allowing users to watch the channel on their television.

Often, EWTN airs special programming: coverage the deaths of pope

Pope

The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...

s; papal conclaves

Papal conclave

A papal conclave is a meeting of the College of Cardinals convened to elect a Bishop of Rome, who then becomes the Pope during a period of vacancy in the papal office. The Pope is considered by Roman Catholics to be the apostolic successor of Saint Peter and earthly head of the Roman Catholic Church...

, elections, inaugurations

Papal Inauguration

The Papal Inauguration is a liturgical service of the Catholic Church within Mass celebrated in the Roman Rite but with elements of Byzantine Rite for the ecclesiastical investiture of the Pope...

and visits; Easter

Easter

Easter is the central feast in the Christian liturgical year. According to the Canonical gospels, Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion. His resurrection is celebrated on Easter Day or Easter Sunday...

, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day Masses; the installations of bishop

Bishop

A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...

s, archbishop

Archbishop

An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...

s, and cardinals

Cardinal (Catholicism)

A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...

; and World Youth Day

World Youth Day

World Youth Day is a youth-oriented Catholic Church event. While the event itself celebrates the Catholic faith, the invitation to attend extends to all youth, regardless of religious convictions....

Criticisms and controversy

As previously noted, EWTN has occasionally engendered criticism.

In one notable incident, in a 1993 episode of Mother Angelica Live, Mother Angelica harshly criticized a mimed

Mime artist

A mime artist is someone who uses mime as a theatrical medium or as a performance art, involving miming, or the acting out a story through body motions, without use of speech. In earlier times, in English, such a performer was referred to as a mummer...

re-enactment of the Stations of the Cross

Stations of the Cross

Stations of the Cross refers to the depiction of the final hours of Jesus, and the devotion commemorating the Passion. The tradition as chapel devotion began with St...

at the World Youth Day in Denver

Denver, Colorado

The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...

, Colorado

Colorado

Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...

which was attended by Blessed Pope John Paul II. Mother Angelica was particularly upset that a woman was playing Jesus

Jesus

Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...

. Controversial archbishop Rembert Weakland

Rembert Weakland

Rembert George Weakland was an American prelate of the Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of Milwaukee from 1977 to 2002. He is the author of A Pilgrim in a Pilgrim Church: Memoirs of a Catholic Archbishop, which explores Church reform issues, his homosexuality, and the child abuse crisis....

of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee

Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Milwaukee

The Archdiocese of Milwaukee is a Roman Catholic archdiocese headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in the United States. It encompasses the City of Milwaukee, as well as the counties of Dodge, Fond du Lac, Kenosha, Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Racine, Sheboygan, Walworth, Washington and Waukesha, all...

called Mother Angelica's comments "... one of the most disgraceful, un-Christian, offensive, and divisive diatribes I have ever heard". Mother Angelica responded by saying, "He didn't think a woman playing Jesus was offensive? He can go put his head in the back toilet as far as I am concerned"!

In 1997, Mother Angelica publicly criticized Cardinal Roger Mahony, then the archbishop of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles

Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles

The Archdiocese of Los Angeles is an archdiocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the U.S. state of California. Headquartered in Los Angeles, the archdiocese comprises the California counties of Los Angeles, Santa Barbara and Ventura. The diocesan cathedral is the Cathedral of Our Lady of the...

, for his pastoral letter

Pastoral letter

A Pastoral letter, often called simply a pastoral, is an open letter addressed by a bishop to the clergy or laity of his diocese, or to both, containing either general admonition, instruction or consolation, or directions for behaviour in particular circumstances...

on the Eucharist

Eucharist

The Eucharist , also called Holy Communion, the Sacrament of the Altar, the Blessed Sacrament, the Lord's Supper, and other names, is a Christian sacrament or ordinance...

called "Gather Faithfully Together: A Guide for Sunday Mass", which she perceived had a lack of emphasis on transubstantiation

Transubstantiation

In Roman Catholic theology, transubstantiation means the change, in the Eucharist, of the substance of wheat bread and grape wine into the substance of the Body and Blood, respectively, of Jesus, while all that is accessible to the senses remains as before.The Eastern Orthodox...

: "I’m afraid my obedience in that diocese would be absolutely zero. And I hope everybody else’s in that diocese is zero". Cardinal Mahony regarded her comments as heretical

Heresy

Heresy is a controversial or novel change to a system of beliefs, especially a religion, that conflicts with established dogma. It is distinct from apostasy, which is the formal denunciation of one's religion, principles or cause, and blasphemy, which is irreverence toward religion...

. Mother Angelica later issued a conditional, albeit reluctant, apology for her comments.

In 1999, Bishop David Foley

David Edward Foley

David Edward Foley was ordained a priest for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington on May 26, 1956.He was appointed by Pope John Paul II the Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese of Richmond in Virginia on May 3, 1986. He was consecrated on June 27, 1986. Pope John Paul II later appointed Bishop...

of the Archdiocese of Birmingham, Alabama

Roman Catholic Diocese of Birmingham in Alabama

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Birmingham in Alabama is a particular church of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church that encompasses the northern 39 counties of the U.S. state of Alabama. It was erected on December 9, 1969, when it was split from the Archdiocese of Mobile...

issued a decree prohibiting priests in his diocese from celebrating Mass ad orientem ("to the east"; that is, with the priest and the people facing east) under most circumstances. Although the decree did not specifically mention EWTN, the wording of the decree, which stated that "...any Mass that is or will be televised for broadcast or videotaped

Videotape

for public dissemination", supporters and critics alike generally agreed that the decree was written with EWTN specifically in mind. Bishop Foley stated that the practice of having the priest's back to the people "amounts to making a political statement and is dividing the people." The network eventually complied with Bishop Foley's order. As a result of this incident, the Holy See appointed an Apostolic Visitor, Archbishop Roberto González Nieves

Roberto González Nieves

Roberto Octavio González Nieves, OFM is the leader of the Roman Catholic Church in Puerto Rico and the current Archbishop of San Juan.-Early life and education:...

of San Juan

San Juan, Puerto Rico

San Juan , officially Municipio de la Ciudad Capital San Juan Bautista , is the capital and most populous municipality in Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 395,326 making it the 46th-largest city under the jurisdiction of...

, Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...

, to investigate. Nieves determined that there were three distinct problems: the actual ownership of the network, the monastery's right to give property to EWTN, and, since she had never been elected, the legitimacy of Mother Angelica's authority. To prevent the Holy See from making changes, Mother Angelica resigned her positions on the EWTN board and turned it completely over to lay people, which severed official connection with her monastery and assured that the management of EWTN were not directly dependent on the bishops or the Holy See.

On January 1, 2006, a book critical of EWTN and Mother Angelica, EWTN: A Network Gone Wrong by Christopher A. Ferrara, was published. According to the book's promotional website

Website

A website, also written as Web site, web site, or simply site, is a collection of related web pages containing images, videos or other digital assets. A website is hosted on at least one web server, accessible via a network such as the Internet or a private local area network through an Internet...

, "Basing itself on extensive evidence taken from EWTN’s own content, and comparing that content to the perennial belief and practice of the Church, the book shows that EWTN’s 'moderately Modernist' version of the Faith is precisely what St. Pius X

Pope Pius X

Pope Saint Pius X , born Giuseppe Melchiorre Sarto, was the 257th Pope of the Catholic Church, serving from 1903 to 1914. He was the first pope since Pope Pius V to be canonized. Pius X rejected modernist interpretations of Catholic doctrine, promoting traditional devotional practices and orthodox...

had in view when he condemned Modernism in all its forms, including what His Holiness called 'the Modernist as reformer'".

Viewership statistics

EWTN boasts that it has become the largest religious media network in the world. As of February 2008, its programming reached more than 146 million homes in 127 countries and 16 territories on more than 5,200 cable

Cable television

systems, wireless cable, direct broadcast satellite

Direct broadcast satellite

Direct broadcast satellite is a term used to refer to satellite television broadcasts intended for home reception.A designation broader than DBS would be direct-to-home signals, or DTH. This has initially distinguished the transmissions directly intended for home viewers from cable television...

, low power television

Low-power broadcasting

Low-power broadcasting is electronic broadcasting at very low power and low cost, to a small community area.The terms "low-power broadcasting" and "micropower broadcasting" should not be used interchangeably, because the markets are not the same...

, and individual satellite

Satellite television

users. A 1994 National Catholic Reporter

National Catholic Reporter

The National Catholic Reporter is the second largest Catholic newspaper in the United States; its circulation reaches ninety-seven countries on six continents. Based in midtown Kansas City, Missouri, NCR was founded by Robert Hoyt in 1964 as an independent newspaper focusing on the Catholic Church...

cover story claimed EWTN employed 124 people and received annual donations totaling approximately $

United States dollar

The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....

25 million, of which approximately $8.5 million goes toward operating expenses.

Papal award

On October 4, 2009, Mother Angelica and Deacon Bill Steltemeier, at the time the chairman of EWTN’s board of governors, were recipients of the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice

Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice

The Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice medal is an award of the Roman Catholic Church. It is also known as the "Cross of Honour". The medal was established by Leo XIII on July 17, 1888, to commemorate his golden sacerdotal jubilee and was originally bestowed on those women and men who had aided and...

(the Cross of Honor) by Pope Benedict XVI

Pope Benedict XVI

Benedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...

for distinguished service to the Catholic Church. Bishop Robert J. Baker of the Diocese of Birmingham

Roman Catholic Diocese of Birmingham in Alabama

conferred the awards. In commenting on the award, Bishop Baker said the award is, "... a significant acknowledgment by our Holy Father, of Mother's labors of love in support of our Church. By giving awards the Church is not saying people or institutions are perfect, but we are saying that Mother Angelica, through this network, has made a significant contribution to the new evangelization heralded and promoted by recent Popes".

A partial listing of EWTN programs

Mother Angelica
Mother Angelica
Mother Mary Angelica of the Annunciation, PCPA is an American Roman Catholic nun who founded the Eternal Word Television Network. In 1944 she entered the Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration, a Franciscan religious order for women, as a postulant, and a year later she was admitted to the order as a...

Live Classics
Daily Mass
Life on the Rock
My Little Angels
We Are Catholic
The Carpenter's Shop
Adventures in Odyssey
Adventures in Odyssey
Adventures in Odyssey , or simply Odyssey, is an Evangelical Christian-themed radio drama/comedy series created by Focus on the Family in 1987. The show's daily audience averages around 1.2 million within North America. The Odyssey series also includes several spin-off items, including a home-video...
The Joy of Music, starring concert organist Diane Bish
Diane Bish
Diane Joyce Bish, born on May 25, 1941, in Kansas, is an organist and composer as well as executive producer of the Joy of Music television series. As a concert organist, she performs frequently at recitals throughout North America and Europe....
EWTN Live - Fr. Mitch Pacwa SJ
The Journey Home - Marcus Grodi
Pope Fiction - Patrick Madrid
Patrick Madrid
Patrick Madrid , is an American Catholic author, radio host, apologist, the host of several EWTN television and radio series, and the publisher of Envoy Magazine....
Pequeño Jesús
Now That We Are Catholic
Jesus Christ - True God/True Man - Raymond D'Souza
The World Over Live - Raymond Arroyo
Raymond Arroyo
Raymond Arroyo is a New York Times bestselling author, and a producer. He is the news director and lead anchor of EWTN News, the news division of the Eternal Word Television Network, a Catholic broadcast network founded by Mother Angelica, a nun of the Poor Clare order...
Web Of Faith - Fr. John Trigilio & Fr. Robert Levis
G. K. Chesterton
G. K. Chesterton
Gilbert Keith Chesterton, KC*SG was an English writer. His prolific and diverse output included philosophy, ontology, poetry, plays, journalism, public lectures and debates, literary and art criticism, biography, Christian apologetics, and fiction, including fantasy and detective fiction....

: Apostle of Common Sense - Dale Ahlquist
Household Of Faith - Kristine Franklin & Rosalind Moss
The Abundant Life - Johnette Benkovic
Does The Church Still Teach This? - Fr. Shannon Collins FME
Sunday Night Prime - Fr. Benedict Groeschel
Catholics Coming Home - Msgr. Frank E. Bognanno
Threshold Of Hope - Fr. Mitch Pacwa S.J.
Defending Life - Fr. Frank Pavone
Frank Pavone
Father Frank A. Pavone is an American Roman Catholic priest and pro-life activist. He was the national director of Priests for Life and serves as the Chairman and Pastoral Director of Rachel's Vineyard...

and Janet Morana
EWTN Bookmark - with Doug Keck
Catholicism on Campus - with Msgr. Stuart Swetland
Finding God Through Faith and Reaso - with Fr. Robert Spitzer, S.J., Ph.D
The Pure Life - with Jason and Crystallina Evert
Crash Course in Catholicism - with Fr. John Trigilio and Fr. Ken Brighenti
The Quest for Shakespeare
The Quest for Shakespeare
The Quest for Shakespeare is a television documentary series shown on cable channel EWTN. It is written and presented by author Joseph Pearce about William Shakespeare, and specifically the evidence that his religion was Catholic. The series comprises thirteen episodes that began airing May 2009...

- Joseph Pearce
Joseph Pearce
Joseph Pearce is an English-born writer, and Writer in Residence and Professor of Literature at Ave Maria University in Ave Maria, Florida; previously he had a comparable position, from 2001, at Ave Maria College in Ypsilanti, Michigan. He is known for a number of literary biographies, many of...
Reasons For Our Hope - Rosalind Moss
Council of Faith: The Documents of Vatican II - Fr. John Trigilio
Council of Faith: The Post-Consiliar Documents - Fr. John Trigilio
Reclaiming Your Children For The Faith - Fr. Robert J. Fox
Super Saints - hosted by Bob and Penny Lord
The Friar

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.

Development of EWTN

Radio

Newspapers

News Coverage

History of programming

Criticisms and controversy

Viewership statistics

Papal award

A partial listing of EWTN programs

See also

External links