www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Parish Life & Evangelization EWTN - Light of the East

I spoke with Father Michael today and he said they are going to be filming a new Light of the East [ewtn.com] TV series. Not sure how long it will take before it airs. Most likely 6 months or longer but I am just guessing.

Hi Ray.
That is great news!!! I love their series. I've corresponded with Fr. Mikael several times because I've been trying to purchase a copy of his Light of the East series on DVD or video. EWTN no longer sells the tapes and referred me to Fr. Michael and Fr. Joseph, who apparently don't have copies either. I've gone back and forth with EWTN for 2 months with no success. They made it completely clear they cannot help me purchase a copy, period, end of sentence.

I have my VCR scheduled to tape the show weekly, but unfortunately EWTN has preempted the show many times. When I get up in the morning and turn on my VCR frequently there is some other "special" show recorded.

And on the new line up starting in August or Sept. EWTN has cut the show altogether :-( I've politely but firmly complained any number of times that this is the only program they carry- 30 mins out of 24/7 programming- that is focused on the Eastern Catholic Churches and they should not ever preempt it, and now definitely shouldn't be cutting it out of the schedule.

I love EWTN but having spoken with a half dozen people there over several months each one I talked with could not be less concerned about any of these topics- the series no longer being available for purchase, the frequent preempting of the program, and now the cancellation altogether of the show. I realize it's a huge operation and this is one teeny concern but I've done my best to say that's part of the problem- they need more ongoing coverage of the ECCs. So I'm definitely excited to hear they are in fact going to produce a new series with Fr. Michael and Fr. Joseph. Here's hoping this one will be an hour weekly!

I'm involved in RCIA and other adult formation within the Latin/Roman Catholic community and would love to be able to use Fr. Mike's series with our folks. I'll be impatiently awaiting the new series LOL. -Mary Louise

[quote=Ray S.]I spoke with Father Michael today and he said they are going to be filming a new Light of the East [ewtn.com] TV series. Not sure how long it will take before it airs. Most likely 6 months or longer but I am just guessing.



Fantastick! I have watched the series a vcouple of times over, great to hear they are doing another one.

EWTN aired one show from the series during Advent 2008- the program on The Feast of the Nativity. Thankfully I was able to tape it. I hope we will see more of Fr. Mike Sopoliga and Fr. Joseph Bertha. They do a wonderful job of sharing the treasures of the Eastern Churches.

'bout time!

Glory to Jesus Christ!
LIGHT OF THE EAST II: GREAT LENT

Rebroadcast from their old series.
Fri, 03/06/09 2:00 PM Eastern, 11 AM Pacific

"Father Michael Sopoliga and Fr. Joseph Bertha discuss the beautiful pre-festive and holy season of Lent, the Great Fast. Called the “Great Lent,” because it is the longest fasting, and abstaining period of the entire Liturgical year. It takes extensive preparation and long in duration: 47 days, culminating in the most glorious feast of feasts, the Lord’s Triumphant Resurrection from the Dead."
http://www.ewtn.com/tv/NAAdv0309.asp

Don't ask me what calendar this relates to LOL but better "late" than never.

Upcoming rebroadcast of Light of the East, and some other programming on the ECCs. Please let EWTN know that you appreciate these programs and want more programs about ECCs. I woke very early the other morning and Catholic radio was broadcasting a Melkite Liturgy. (Times given here are EDT)

http://www.ewtn.com/tv/NAAdv0409.asp

Sun 04/05/09 7:30 30 mins PM LIGHT OF THE EAST II: Ep. 2309 Great Lent
Fathers Sopoliga and Bertha continue their journey through the liturgical year in the Byzantine Catholic Church with a look at Great Lent.

Thu 04/09/09 6 PM 30 mins LIGHT OF THE EAST II: Ep. 2310
Liturgical Year: Holy Week Fathers Sopoliga and Bertha continue their journey through the liturgical year in the Byzantine Catholic Church with a look at Holy Week.

Also of interest related to ECCs:
IRAQ'S CHRISTIANS Mon 04/06/09 2:00 PM EDT and Sat 04/11/09 12:00 PM Italian producer provides insight into Iraq’s rich Christian heritage amidst desperate times. This program is basically a clarion call to the world, particularly the Christian world, about the suffering that Iraq’s Christians have endured as a result of fallout from Iraq War. Shot during Holy Week, various tragedies are covered. Ends with hopeful Easter and wedding celebrations.

EPARCHY OF OUR LADY OF LEBANON CONVOCATION CONCERT: LENTEN SONGS Tue 04/07/09 5:30 AM EDT and Wed 04/08/09 9:00 PM

BYZANTINE DIVINE LITURGY HYMNS Sun 04/12/09 3:00 PM Wed 04/15/09 3:00 PM This music represents segments of the Byzantine Easter Sunday Divine Liturgy. These hymns are sung in Greek or Arabic. In each instance, an English translation is presented in subtitles, while various religious icons are shown.

EPARCHY OF OUR LADY OF LEBANON: ANCIENT ROOTS...NEW SOIL Tue 04/21/09 3:00 AM and Tue 04/21/09 6:30 PM
An introduction to the Maronite rite of the Church in America with interview of pastors and parishioners from various Maronite parishes throughout the Midwestern US, speaking favorably about their rite and their Catholic faith.

EPARCHY OF OUR LADY OF LEBANON CONVOCATION CONCERT Sun 04/26/09 1:30 PM and Sat 05/02/09 3:00 AM
Voices from the Mountains highlight this vocal performance of Middle Eastern music from the Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon in Convocation.

THE MELKITE CHURCH IN AMERICA: Ep. 1 Thu 04/30/09 6:00 AM A brief history of the Melkite Church which began in Antioch, where St. Paul first preached the good news to the Gentiles. Bishop John Elya explains the Role and Mission of the Melkite Church in America

http://www.ewtn.com/tv/NAAdv0409.asp

Missed it....ugh

According to this:
http://www.ewtn.com/tv/NA_040509.asp

It was also supposed to have been on at 10:30pm Eastern time on Palm Sunday. It was not--they had an encore of the Pope's Palm Sunday Mass.

On Thursday, it is scheduled for a different time than previously stated.......

Yes.... when I went to view my videotape I found that the Pope's Palm Sunday Mass apparently exceeded the time allotted for that. This series has been preempted many times in the past. It's so frustrating. If they would just go back to selling the tape/dvd of the series I'd gladly buy it to watch.

The episode Thursday is a different episode. Hopefully it will be at the time stated there.

"This series has been preempted many times in the past. "

It almost seems that the series is used as a "filler" for scheduling live event programming with a preemptable filler that most likely won't get full or any airtime due to time overruns of the live event.

EWTN is Roman Catholic, and while they speak the speak of JPII on "two lungs" the reality is that programs about the Eastern Churches are significantly less of a programming concern.

It would be much easier to make the series available on DVD and not bother with trying to find some arbitrary (2:35 AM or such) time slot.

Business as usual. The Eastern Catholic Churches will always be treated as red headed step children. It sometimes just wants to make me want to pull the pins and punch out.

Einar

Please do write and tell them so. I've been trying to get them to start selling it again ever since they stopped showing the series. Apparently the series had been on weekly for several years at the point when I first started to watch it weekly. Then suddenly they stopped showing it. I'm glad they're bringing back pertinent individual episodes at the time of great feasts etc. The one that was just preempted was a repeat of the one shown on 3/6 (see my post 02/23) which did air as scheduled.

I do hope people will make their wishes for more ECC programming known to EWTN and any Catholic radio in your area. Any donation I make I specify that it's because of an ECC program I heard/viewed.

Hmmm, well that definitely wasn't Father Michael Sopoliga and Fr. Joseph Bertha last night... I'm guessing it was EPARCHY OF OUR LADY OF LEBANON CONVOCATION CONCERT: LENTEN SONGS listed as 04/07/09 5:30 AM EDT and Wed 04/08/09 9:00 PM.

Well they were on tonight.