An Irishman was walking along and saw a crowd of his countrymen brawling in the street. He runs up and shouts, "Is this a private fight or can anyone join?"
There is a fight brewing in the comments of another entry. It is about EWTN.
What sparked the fight is the news that on 14 September EWTN will broadcast a Solemn Mass in the older use of the Roman Rite.
The esteemed Fr. Trigilio posted:
I hope this televised Mass disproves the slanderous lies leveled against the network by some conspiracy minded radicals on the very far right. These are the Fantasy Island natives who promote that horrible book “EWTN: A Network Gone Wrong” They are also closet sede vacantists who secretly believe there has not been a valid pope since Pius XII. I put them in the same neighborhood as the Flat Earth Society. Mother Angelica and EWTN along with Pope John Paul II led the groundwork so Pope Benedict XVI could issue the motu proprio. Everything at its proper time.
Popular author Brian Mershon responded (some of the sharper comments edited):
I believe your reply [is about] “conspiracy-minded” radicals and against Christopher Ferrara…. … Would this have happened on Sept. 14 at EWTN live without the Holy Father’s recent encyclical? Without Bishop Baker, trad friendly, being appointed to head up the diocese effective Oct. 2? … Mother Angelica and Pope JPII laid the groundwork? Pope John Paul II called for “a wide and generous application” of the indult in 1988. If we have anyone to thank, it is certainly Archbishop Lefebvre. … Everything in its time? What timeframe did Pope John Paul II indicate in his 1988 (nearly 20 years ago) motu proprio? Are you Gnostic? Is EWTN gnostic?
Folks, while this has the potential of turning into a street fight, and I will watch it very carefully, it raises an interesting subject: EWTN.
- Some think EWTN is the savior of American Catholicism.
- Some think EWTN started great and then, with the decline of Mother Angelica, went squishy.
- Some, I suspect, thought from the beginning it was "modernist".
Personally, the only thing I ever see with any frequency is the wonderful weekly program by Marcus Grodi, The Journey Home. I was once his guest. Other than that, I catch only a minute two of other programs here and there, unless there are special events. I think they perform a wonderful service in broadcasting papal events and meetings of the USCCB. Their document library is useful, though it was assembled prety much through piracy, I think. Things I wrote are found in the library and neither I nor the publications I wrote them for were consulted for permission. But who cares. It is better to be read than not read and people can actually find it.
It might be interesting to have some thoughtful and measured discussion about EWTN, its pros and cons.
I, for one, am delighted that EWTN will broadcast a Solemn Mass in the older Rite. I think they perform good services, though most of their programming just doesn’t interest my and I have not seen enough of it to take a firm stand.
I really don’t want a fight here, so will eliminate any comments that I find even slightly thoughtless.
First, let’s start with a little poll:
I EDITED THE POLL! VOTE AGAIN!
