www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall New Book Slams EWTN

I guess it shouldn't come as a surprise that EWTN should come under fire. But writing a book to prove that it is "modernist"? Oh come on!

New book slams EWTN [renewamerica.us]

There are certainly reasons to criticize EWTN [deficiencies regarding the social teachings of the Church, for example] but the rantings of so-called "traditionalists", appearing in the wacked-out Catholic Family News are quite another thing....
-Daniel

Hi Iiconophile, could you be a little more specific about your comment regarding EWTN Catholic social teachings? I do watch it sporadically when I have time but I am curious as to what specifically is wrong with their commentary on that subject.

byzantina- I don't have TV so I don't have a lot of experience watching EWTN, but from what I know the deficiency is that of American Catholics in general: an uncritical attitude toward American military ventures, even when these have been condemned as unjust by the Holy See, an uncritical attitude toward neoconservative support of free market economics, and in general a tendency to conform to the Republican Party platform rather than Catholic social doctrine.
Years ago I watched as Mother Angelica interviewed the late Bishop Hannon, ex Military Vicar as he justified nuking Hiroshima and called the Japanese "the Japs". She made no effort to correct either his defense of a war crime or his racist language...
This is not to say that everyone who appears on EWTN shares these shortcomings; I know Scott Hahn and Fr Benedict Groeschel personally, for example, and this could not be said of either of them [though they rarely comment on such things].
-Daniel
ps- I had lunch once in Luther Michigan, once years ago, and it was a lovely little town. I helped some kids fly their kite, flirted with a waitress in a diner [I was single then], and generally had an idyllic visit.
Is it still a pretty farm town, or has it been ruined, like the little town I grew up in?

Daniel, For not watching EWTN very much you've accurately described it--as least as far as I'm concerned. I enjoy several of the programs, but I must agree about their promotion of the Republican and Bush social/political agenda. This almost seemed to descend to idolatry during the last national election. Vito

It shows such narrowmindedness of conservatives as well as liberals.

Geez. EWTN is a very good network. Of course, it's a great alternative for the many many dysfunctional cable networks that are out there today.

I'm very offended by the rantings against Orthodox Church because of Papal "Supremacy" issue. I am a Catholic, and I do NOT accept the Pope's FULL and DIRECT authority over OTHER Churches which he is NOT a Patriarch of.

But calling EWTN a modernist flakes? Come on! EWTN is as orthodox as it can be in spite of their flaws and imperfections.

I'm a producer for a local TV station and I KNOW it's very difficult to produce many programs to keep the viewers more interested (NOT bored after so many re-runs after re-runs) and it's very hard to keep track of it's contents.

We are ALL human and that means we are bound to make mistakes. So no programming is perfect. If certain comments about the teaches isn't accurate, then it's due to human error. We are not perfect. I know people won't go to hell for that either since G-d knows that we are not perfect.

But I would be more concerned with Fr. Levis and Truillio because it seems that they're not reading the questions very CAREFULLY. Looks like they read it in a rush and gave answers that I would scream my head off for! YIKES! But it doesn't mean that they are intentionally giving out the wrong facts or teachings of the Church. They are humans. But the other moderators on EWTN's Q & A forum are pretty good.

I want to add something else about EWTN....

I notice that they have very strong "Roman Egos" or Bigotry over Eastern Churches and/or Orthodox Church. That is a reflection of the mainstream Roman Catholic mentality that RC is the best of all and better than other Catholic Churches. And to have it manifested on TV (EWTN) is very serious issue for me because TV is a very powerful electronic mass medium. And to have it shown on TV will just simply keep maintaining the "Superior RC mentality" alive and going. We should, instead, show them that it is WRONG and that we should follow the late JPII's loving example toward Eastern Churches.

That's all I have to say for now.

SPDundas
Deaf Byzantine

It is well known that hard line Trads and the USCCB have a few bones to pick with EWTN...placing those aside I would rather trust what EWTN broadcasts and posts on their site than what my Archdiocese(Los Angeles)produces regarding many matters...you will see and hear more from the newest orthodox RC Bishops and priests there then anywhere else and I seriously doubt that you will see and hear them here as guests in LA...and without EWTN as a viable outlet what is the alternative available to equal or replace it ?

my 2cents worth
james

a quick note; although the Eastern practice and perspective has less exposure I sure do appreciate what they do now and will send requests to them for expanding and increasing it...

I'm not defending the language, but please remember, to be fair, that for people who lived through World War II, the attack on Pearl Harbor was just as shocking to them as our generation's 9/11 - and they reacted to the Japanese in much the same way that we, today, react to Muslim Arabs, for much the same reasons.

And the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were seen as unfortunate but necessary in order to end the war, by the majority of Americans at that time, and by the majority of Catholics as well.

It's very easy to look back at a previous generation and criticize what seems to us to be obvious errors, mistakes, sins - but what's done is done and maybe if we'd been in their shoes we'd have made exactly the same decisions. And maybe not, but let's not be too judgmental towards those who actually lived through it.

"It's very easy to look back at a previous generation and criticize what seems to us to be obvious errors, mistakes, sins - but what's done is done and maybe if we'd been in their shoes we'd have made exactly the same decisions. And maybe not, but let's not be too judgmental towards those who actually lived through it. "

Very good. My father served in WWII, the "Greatest Generation". I served during, but not in Viet Nam. Yes, its easy for someone not born during that time to comdemn anything that happened during that war.

What is a "just war"? No one condemns the US for its envolvement in the Cuban-american war. It was the yellow journalism of the Hearst Newspapers and their anti-Catholic attitude that got us into that war.

But I digress. EWTN is good for all Catholics. Look where Mother Angelica is located at: in the South. I hope she is giving good witness to her non-Catholic neighbors. As far as they're having a superior attitude, haven't they had some Eastern Catholic shows on lately? I'll be some people watching never heard of the other Churches before. I think its good that they are on tv.

Listen folks,

I challenge each and everyone of you to find something better on the TV. In an age where everything vile and immoral is easily available on your cable or dish subscriptions, EWTN is a mainstay of programming that has the intent of good will and actively promotes Christos Logos.

Sure, we may disagree with some of their views, or as SPDundas put it, Roman Egos.

Yet, they do their best to promote the message and the Light of Christ that dwells in all of our souls.

Nothing in this world is perfect. Everyone has flaws. Everyone sins. But come on folks, what else is better out there on the tv?

Man, the attcks against people, and in this case good standing organiziations, I see on this Forum really disenchant me from posting here and associating with such un Christian and vile behavior.

-uc

Mike,
I too have noticed that Mother Angelica is located in the South, the region of the USofA where I have spent the majority of my life. as far as a good witness, presumably to nonCatholic Southerners, rest assured a great witness has been proffered to non Catholics here centuries before Mother Angelica, bless her heart, was born. in Memphis, Catholic Religious Sisters came to the rescue of the people in that city during a particuarly nasty Yellow Fever epidemic in the 1800s. the Sisters helped one and all, regardless of where and how they worshipped if at all. I don't know if it's still true, but to this day, in Memphis, when a Catholic Sister boards a bus, the driver will place his/her hand on the fare box, giving the Sister a free ride, and to let one and all know how grateful the people of Memphis will be to the help they were given. are there anti Catholic sentiments here? oh, yes. there have been recent letters to the editor in the Chattanooga paper bemoaning the fact that Bush may wind up filling the Supreme Court with Catholics and that will take away our liberties . dollars to donuts,Mike, the writers are probably "Yankees" (no offense meant to many fine Northern folks here) who belong to some pseudo Christian cult back North, and are now trying to show their butts here in Dixie with their nonsense. relations between Catholics and non Catholics here are more or less cordial, despite the culties and an occasional bawl from a nearby Klan Klavern who add Catholics to the mix as to who is responsible for their being such a bunch of no count losers.
Much Love,
Jonn

I love EWTN. It's the most edifying network in America (if it isn't I'd like to know what is ?) and a place I can be assured of hearing real Catholic doctrine. Something often found lacking in many Catholic churches.

Using the same rationale I suppose we shouldn't condemn any historic atrocity or even genocide. People never [or rarely] do evil for the pure joy of it; it is most often motivated by fear of the Other. Germans were afraid of the Jews. Turks were afraid of the Armenians. Even women who abort are afraid of the baby.
Of course one can try and understand the perpertator as well as the victim; these things do not arise in a vacuum. But the moral law is the moral law and we have an obligation as Christians and Americans to tell the truth.
-Daniel

I think, overall, EWTN does a great job.

Of course, we'd all like to broadcast a little more about the Eastern Catholic Churches and perhaps, when the Bishop of Birmingham is cleared out, they can even televise the Traditional Latin Mass!

I do sometimes think some of the commentators bring their Calvinist/Protestant backgrounds with them in their presentation of Catholicism, and occasionally some of the programmes come off a little, what's the word...Evangelical?...but there are numerous shows, like Father Benedict, Mother Angelica, the Mass, Does the Church Still Teach That, the Journey Home, which I think are wonderful!

And the network is only 20 years old! They've done a lot in 20 years.

Logos Teen

A lot of you have seen me say I am only two miles away from EWTN. Like any monastery it has it quirks - but fildelity to the majesterium of the Roman Catholic Church, on their part, is not a quirk. It is a fact! Mother will never shy away and neither will the Network. If you want to understand Mother Angelica and why the network is the way it is, I suggest you read Raymond Auroa's autobiography of Mother Angelica.

This place has fought long and hard to restore tradtitional Catholic values and teachings to a hurting world. IT speaks out loudly and clearly against a perverse generation of immodesty and hatred towards God. They ask nothing of anyone that they themsleves do not practice. And when you are there, you are not beseiged for support of this show or that. EWTN is given to us in faith and trust in God. Nothing they do comes out of our pockets unless we make offerings to God through them for the ministry of the word that goes forth all over the WORLD! So you know what, if you don't like it don't watch it. But, then, on the other hand, if it is upsetting you that bad, what is God asking of you that you are not willing to do? Can you walk a mile in their shoes?

They are a sebastian for Catholics and Protestants. I too wish they gave more time to the East, and I do believe they aret increasing the time spent. It is interesting that Protestants come by the bus loads to the new monastery, and they come very often to EWTN - they can't get over the peace that is present, they keep returning. To prove it's effect locally we have Catholic Priests who were once Protestant ministers here in town because of the minitstry of EWTN locally. Yes, here in Birmingham as well as Hanceville she has a huge impact on the community.

The biggest thing of all is it is a sebastian of love to a hurting world that asks for nothing in return, only encourages and teaches people to build their faith in God, and guides them to the safety and security of the Seat of Peter.

I also find very interesting the number of our kids friends - older teens and young adults - who at night will leave their tv's on EWTN while they are sleeping, Catholic and Protestant alike. Geesss, I think they must be doing something right!

Pani Rose