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Pope gives top honors to Mother Angelica
Oct. 14, 2009
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Printer-friendly versionSend to friendPDF versionBIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- Mother Angelica, 86, the nun who founded the world's largest religious network, rarely leaves her bed these days and didn't make it to an Oct. 4 ceremony awarding her a papal honor.
Pope Benedict XVI awarded the Cross of Honor for distinguished service to both Mother Angelica and Deacon Bill Steltemeier, 80, chairman of the board for EWTN, the network Mother Angelica founded in 1981 in a garage at the Our Lady of Angels Monastery in Irondale.
Bishop Robert Baker of Birmingham presented the medals and certificates to Mother Angelica and to Steltemeier.
Sr. Margaret Mary, the mother vicar of the monastery, received the framed document and medal on Mother Angelica's behalf in the public part of the ceremony at the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament in Hanceville.
Mother Angelica's frail health restricts her activities, said EWTN spokeswoman Michelle Johnson. “She doesn't really do ceremonies,” Johnson said. “She doesn't make public appearances right now.”
Mother Angelica came to Alabama in 1961 to found the monastery in Irondale. After she started the network, Steltemeier left his Nashville law practice to help run what has become one of the largest religious media networks in the world. EWTN can be seen in 150 million households in more than 140 countries and territories.
While many of us find the
While many of us find the brand of Catholicism espoused by Mother Angelica and EWTN very disquieting, let us all pray for her recovery.
Wasn't she miraculously cured
Wasn't she miraculously cured of something?
SANTA SUBITA!
This should tell you the
This should tell you the direction in which the church is headed ... back to pre-Vatican II thinking. Need I say more?
Can you please enlighten me
Can you please enlighten me as to what about EWTN is 'Pre-Vatican II' in terms of what is contained in V2 documents?
What? Nothing for Raymond
What? Nothing for Raymond Arroyo?
He should get the "Mother
He should get the "Mother Angelica Lap Dog" award.
Dear Shocked, Imitation being
Dear Shocked,
Imitation being the best form of flattery, Mother A is being honored because Raymond A is making a living doing his imitation her. Raymond A will get his honor when Pee Wee Herman starts to earn his living by his doing his best impression of him.... oh wait, he guess he already does
Next year....
Next year....
Mother Angelica, despite
Mother Angelica, despite being one of the most divisive forces in Catholicism, may well deserve the honor. But there's one problem and that is this honor may possible accrue to the
arch conservatives who inhabit EWTN. Conservative ex-Protestant ministers who now purport to speak for the long tradition of Catholicism; a tradition previously denounced by their former churches. Also a coiffed blond denouncer of gays and a newsman who gives an O'Reilly and Hannity version of church news. And then there's the Park Avenue priest convert aesthete who appears in an English style drawing-room and who speaks to Catholics as if they were still the long ago uneducated immigrants who needed priestly edification. EWTN is a phenomenal money-maker. It is difficult to know where the money goes or who gets it.
Funny how no one from this
Funny how no one from this organization, National Catholic Register, is being honored by our Church. I wonder why that is? Must be because it's post Vatican II (or maybe just not Catholic).
This is the "NATIONAL
This is the "NATIONAL CATHOLIC REPORTER" NOT the Register. Your're correct, the National Catholic Register will not be honored since it is owned by the discredited, conservative Legionaires whose founder was a sex pervert.
Lets be honest, NCreporter
Lets be honest, NCreporter and NCregister are both falling off St Peter's boat in their own unique ways. You can falloff both sides of a boat after all.
Excellent!! But just to be
Excellent!!
But just to be complete, you can also fall off the bow and stern though the outcome tends to be messier than the port or starboard alternatives.
God bless Mother Angelica.
God bless Mother Angelica. The work that this little nun has accomplished surely must be the product of the Holy Spirit. She has, through private donations only and without the benefit of the USCCB's annual Catholic communications campaign collection, founded the largest Catholic religious network in the world, and one of the largest religious networks. She has done much to reawaken active faith in the Church in the US, as well as providing opportunities for folks like Scott Hahn and Jeff Cavins, Fr. Robert Sirico and Fr. Frank Pavone to name just a few, to reach out to generations of Catholics and non-Catholics alike. Moreover, EWTN, under Mother's leadership and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, has fostered devotion to the Divine Mercy, the Rosary, and adoration of the Most Blessed Sacrament.
Mother's contribution to the Roman Catholic faith is beyond reckoning. She, and her network, has done so much good and I am so glad to see that the Holy Father recognizes this and is honoring her, and EWTN, for its inestimable value to the Church.
We pray for Mother's recovery to health. May God continue to bless and keep her and EWTN.
Help me I am lost in the
Help me I am lost in the ether.
I know where I am but can not read the sign post.
16 years ago this Dec 27, so
16 years ago this Dec 27, so drunk I should not have remembered anything, I was flipping the tv remote and stopped on this old nun. At first I thought she was funny, but the more I listened the more I started to pay attention. She said through Mary all things are possable all you have to do is ask. Remember their is no way I should have remembered this I had consumed almost a half gallon of Whiskey and only God knows how much beer. But when she said talk to Mary, I did and the tears flowed. Over 22 years of drinking, a blackout drunk I was. I lost track of all the times I tryed to stop drinking myself. What I said to Mary well that's between me and her. But the next morning all the booze in the house I poured down the drain. I have never touched a drop since. Did Mary send me Mother, or did Mother point me in the right direction, I'll ask Mary one day. I think of this funny little nun often and she is in my prayers. God truly touch this woman, and only He knows how many she in turn has touched. Thank you Mother, I pray for your health, life and love.
May I live long enough to see you become a Saint.
love you Mother
Richard P
Bloomfield, Connecticut
Mother Angelica may have been
Mother Angelica may have been divisive, but then again so were many saints in their day. Would we have preferred it if Thomas More didn't "trouble the waters" in Renaissance England? Would it have been better if Oscar Romero delivered more politically correct sermons, or if Catherine of Siena was less bold in condemning watered down Catholicism? EWTN has produced much great fruit. God keep Mother in good health.
I congratulate Mother
I congratulate Mother Angelica and Deacon Bill.
In my eyes Mother Angelica is a "saint". I thank
her for starting the network, EWTN. She is a
pleasure to listen to and I urge everyone to send
in donations so this wonderful network is able to
stay on the air and send out the word of God.
EWTN is helping me through a very troubled time
of my life.
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