The Catholic Standard & Times - EWTN storms Philadelphia

EWTN storms Philadelphia

By NADIA POZO, SUSAN BRINKMANN and MICHELLE LAQUE JOHNSON
CS&T Staff

More than 4,000 people from around the country, and especially the Philadelphia region, jammed the Liacouras Center at Temple University on the weekend of June 24-25, for a remarkable celebration of the Eternal Word Television Network’s 25th anniversary.

The network has traveled to five cities over the past year to share its silver anniversary “live” with many in its loyal following, and there will be one last hurrah when EWTN returns to its home city, Birmingham, Ala.

Meanwhile, there is no doubt that the City of Brotherly Love offered EWTN its most enthusiastic reception yet — and that there was a lot about which to be enthused.

Beloved speakers, including Father Benedict Groeschel, Marcus Grodi, Raymond Arroyo, Father Richard John Neuhaus and Scott Hahn had audience members on their feet, asking questions and shouting answers to the speakers’ questions. The audience also applauded some first rate music — as well as what the speakers said.

“This remarkable occasion is the 25th anniversary of a most improbable adventure — a high adventure, led by someone who was not afraid to appear ridiculous in order to make herself a vessel of what God can do beyond our imagination,”said Father Neuhaus, the editor of First Things Magazine, as he kicked off the weekend-long celebration.

EWTN, which began in the garage of a Birmingham monastery 25 years ago, is now seen in 125 million homes and 144 countries, and its radio and internet service reaches at least 200 million more. Perhaps the greatest miracle of all is that the network was built solely from donations.

Philadelphia has a special place in the heart of Mother Angelica, the network’s foundress: She first mentioned the concept that became EWTN on a speaking engagement in Philadelphia, according Arroyo, her biographer and the host of the network’s “The World Over.”

In a speech at the event on Saturday, Arroyo recalled the station’s unlikely history, which was born out of the fierce love of a nun from the ghetto of Canton, Ohio.

“Jesus drives Mother Angelica,” he told the crowd. That love gave her the courage to create what seemed impossible — the first global Catholic network with 24-hour programming and live, extensive coverage of Catholic events worldwide, events not broadcast by any other television station.

“Mother has always fought an uphill battle, but never wavering in her rock-solid trust in her Spouse and the power of prayer of her nuns before Him in the Blessed Sacrament,” Arroyo said in a lively presentation that was filled with Mother Angelica impersonations and light-hearted laughter.

In fact, Arroyo, whose guests at the live taping of “The World Over” included Father Neuhaus, Peggy Noonan and the husband-and-wife fiddlers, Natalie MacMaster and Donnell Leahy, had the audience laughing so hard that one member of the cast told him that if things didn’t work out for him at EWTN, he could have another career as standup comic.

The goal of EWTN is the same as was the goal of St. John the Baptist, whose feast day was the opening day of the celebration.

During his homily at the Mass on Saturday , Father Francis Mary, host of “Life on the Rock,” said that, like St. John the Baptist, Mother Angelica’s mission was to bring the Good News of Christ, without equivocation, to anyone who would listen.

Mother Angelica has lived her life radically, Father Francis said. And today, he added, just living the Catholic faith authentically is radical and necessary. “We need modern day St. John the Baptists,” he said.

Immediately before that Mass, Father Neuhaus gave an unflinching address about what it means to be a Catholic in a world full of scandals, dissension, and leadership problems.

In the face of all that, he held out to the crowd the invitation of John Paul II: “‘Settle for nothing less than moral and spiritual greatness. …’

“Our task is not to be successful, but to be faithful,” Father Neuhaus said. “Our task is to engage the culture with joy. EWTN bespeaks the joy of the high adventure of being fully Catholic — not of being a ‘good enough’ Catholic, but rather, understanding that what it really means to be Catholic is an audacious invitation to adventure.”

Acknowledging that EWTN has been an instrument of necessary criticism, Father Neuhaus added that it has been “always at the service of the Church, and in an invitation of fidelity and holiness.”

Mother Angelica, the nun who personified what Father Neuhaus called “the holiness of feistiness,” was not present at the celebration, but she continues to do well, living a life of quiet contemplation in the cloister, Arroyo said. And she hasn’t lost any of her feistiness, he added. He told the crowd that she sent her love, and assured his audience that she is present to them through her prayers before the Blessed Sacrament.

Mother Angelica sent three nuns to attend the celebration. One, Sister Rose Marie, left the cloister for the first time for the celebration, which occurred during the 14th anniversary of her professed vows.

EWTN television host Scott Hahn told his audience that the love of the Eucharist and for the sacrifice of the Mass is the “end all” and the power behind the network.

“EWTN exists to share the Eternal Word made flesh,” said Hahn, a convert to Catholicism and a popular author. “Jesus Christ is here with every Mass. ... The Mass is what makes the Bible come alive. You can’t do anything more soaked in Scripture, in both readings and in what you actually do.”

Catholics are united through the Eucharist, he added: “That is why we celebrate as a family. … [And] any network founded by a mother ought to celebrate as a family.”

Catholics are empowered to get more out of Scripture because of the Mass, Hahn said. And that leaves us with a huge responsibility: “We receive the Word first, then take it out. We are called to be saints. God wants to make you a saint first, before you can be used as an instrument to make others holy.”

As for our earthly pilgrimage toward salvation, he added, “We don’t have to wait to die to go home. We can just go to Mass.”

Last to speak before the closing Mass at 11 a.m. Sunday, which was celebrated by Cardinal Rigali was Father Groeschel.

Of course, he didn’t disappoint.

The Catholic Church has been pulled apart by arguments and battles between conservatives and “zany” liberals on issues involving the liturgy, liturgical practices, and different applications of Catholic teaching, Father Groeschel said.

But the Church should not be a place where we expect to feel comfortable because our preferences are the accepted preferences, he added.

“I’m not a Protestant. If I were, I would be looking for a Church that agrees with me,” he said. “Protestant churches are associations of devout people who believe and practice their own interpretation of the Gospel.”

The Catholic Church follows Jesus Christ, and so each Catholic must follow Christ, “even when He leads me where I do not wish to go,” Father Groeschel said. “We must renounce our own wishes to follow Him. It’s part of the crucifying character of discipleship, in which we abandon our own tastes, and submit ourselves to God, Himself, acting in the Church.”

Being a good Catholic does not mean refraining from criticizing the Church’s flaws — rather, it means that criticism should be kindly and charitable,” he said.

"Father Groeschel said Catholics who want Church reform should work from inside the Church, as did St. Teresa of Ávila, St. John of the Cross, St. Ignatius of Loyola and St. Catherine of Siena.

“If someone is demeaning the Pope, are they a good Catholic?” Father Groeschel asked. “No,” shouted the audience.

“Are Catholic universities that consistently teach things against the Catholic Church good Catholics?” “No,” shouted the audience.

Father Groeschel said he would rather see a student attend a secular university with a good Neumann Club than a Catholic university that is unfaithful to the teachings of the Church.

The EWTN anniversary celebration, which included adoration, Mass, confession and inspirational presentations, was like a mini-retreat — and as such, it was true to the experience many people say they have when they watch the TV network.

“I feel like the Holy Spirit is within me after hearing all the things they’ve said,” said 11-year-old Laurel Montoya. “I mean, I totally agree with it. Today has been amazing. When the speakers were talking, I felt like they were talking straight to me. It really inspired me.”

Mary Marzynynzyn agreed: “Being here, you really get an affirmation of faith. You realize you are not alone — that you are not the only ‘dodo Catholic,’ as Mother says. It’s been really enjoyable meeting the people that spread God’s message.

If you are a Comcast customer who recently lost EWTN because of schedule changes, and would like to have access restored, please let Comcast know by writing to:

Mrs. Wendy Richards
Regional Product Manager
Comcast Cable
3220 Tillman Drive
Bensalem, Pa., 19020