EWTN celebrates network’s 23rd anniversary and founder’s 60 years of religious life

Aug 5, 2004 / 22:00 pm

EWTN Global Catholic Network will mark Mother Angelica's 60th anniversary of religious life Aug. 15, the Feast of the Assumption, and its 23rd anniversary with special pre-recorded and live programming.

Special programming Aug. 15 includes “EWTN Yesterday and Today” – a short biography of Mother Angelica and a tour of the network – at 3 a.m. and at 10 a.m.

EWTN will also air the Pope's visit to Lourdes live that same day, including the Solemn Mass and Angelus with the Holy Father at 3:30 a.m. It will be rebroadcast at 7 p.m.

At 6:30 p.m., the network will air a classic episode from one of Mother Angelica's first series. Throughout the day, “Mother's Memories” will feature short spots in which Mother Angelica reflects on the network’s various events and milestones.

EWTN news director Raymond Arroyo will also host a special program, dedicated to Mother Angelica, on “The World Over Live” Aug. 13 at 8 p.m.; it will be rebroadcast Aug. 15 at 5 p.m.

Mother Angelica began EWTN in 1981 as a four-hours-per-day cable TV network in Irondale, Alabama, with no funding other than donations from her viewers. Today, EWTN is the world’s largest Catholic media.

EWTN president Michael Warsaw said the network has recently expanded to 104 million homes in 110 countries.

"This major milestone is significant as we celebrate 23 years in Catholic media, and, at the same time, we congratulate Mother Angelica for her 60 extraordinary years in religious life,” said Warsaw. “We are here only because of her willingness to follow God's prompting, and we look forward to seeing the continued growth of our network well into the future.”