God is the Master of Surprises!

Our God is the Master of surprises!

Over the years I have learned to appreciate new beginnings.  It can be sad or upsetting to leave behind the familiar and embark on uncharted paths, but every new turn offers us possibilities not known or realized in the past and surprises known only to God...and God is truly a God of Surprises.  So this new year holds out for us many opportunities to grow as human beings, as Christians and as friends of Jesus!

To sit in the divine presence of Jesus as I try to do each day can be an eye-opener.  If we bring to the Lord all of our hopes, our dreams and plans, our concerns and worries, our failures and disappointments, we can begin to see all of this in light of God's plan and His will for our lives.  To try and makes sense of the complexities of life, the ups and downs of being the person God made us to be, the challenge of being Catholic disciples of Jesus - all of this can be overwhelming left on our own.  But when we do this consistently in prayerful conversation, speaking and listening in our quiet "inner room," God does open our eyes to the meaning of our lives.

As we begin yet another new year, the common human experience is that times just goes faster and faster.  We all think, "Where did last year go?"  In the midst of the rush, the continual movement forward in time, forward towards our meeting with God face to face, we are blessed with time. In His patience God has given us more time to become who it is He created us to be.  This we cannot do alone or in a vacuum.  And so, The CatholicTV Network is there for you, seen in more than 11 million households.  You are never alone: the Lord Jesus is with you and you are part of a wonderful family, the CatholicTV family.

We are all God's dear children and we are loved beyond measure.  May 2012 be a wonderful year for you, even if it brings challenges and change...for one thing is certain: God's deep love for us in Jesus Christ will never change. This is no surprise -  Jesus is the same for us and for all: yesterday, today and for eternity.

Happy New Year, everyone!  May it be full of great surprises.

-Father Reed

photo by George Martell, 2011

CatholicTV on The Good Catholic Life

Bonnie and I had the pleasure of appearing on The Good Catholic Life on Boston's 1060AM, The Station of the Cross last night.

Hosted by RCAB's Secretary for Catholic Media  Scot Landry, The Good Catholic Life is a show for Bostonians by Bostonians about living a good, joy-filled, holy Catholic life here in Boston. Scot is joined by a different co-host every day, and we were privileged to be on the show with Father Matt Williams, the Director of the Office for New Evangelization of Youth and Young Adults. 

Bonnie and I got the chance to talk about CatholicTV's great programming, in particular ChristmasTV, which starts at 8:30 every night, until the 24th, 25th, and 26th, when it lasts all day in our 3-day ChristmasTV Marathon.






Turn your TV on as you enjoy Christmas with your family, and listen to the great music and family friendly programming on ChristmasTV. Be sure to join us for the Midnight Mass at the Basilica of St. Peter (at Midnight!), or for the 10AM (ET) Mass at Notre Dame's Basilica of the Sacred Heart. ChristmasTV continues for all 12 days of Christmas.

We also spoke about our exciting new venture, The Gist, a new kind of Catholic program for women. CatholicTV Producer Kate Andrews has been working hard on this project, and we hosted Rachel Balducci, Danielle Bean and Carolee McGrath two weeks ago for our first round of shooting. The show premieres in January, so stay updated by checking it out on Facebook and Twitter.







Finally, Bonnie and I talked with Scot and Fr. Matt about CatholicTV's efforts to provide content across all media. An integral aspect of the New Evangelization is meeting people where they are, and CatholicTV truly strives to do that with our website and mobile livestream, mobile apps, Facebook, Twitter and Youtube pages. Be sure to like/follow/subscribe to us for the full CatholicTV experience. We are always exploring new platforms on which to offer our content, so stay tuned for updates in the (near) future!

If you missed Bonnie and me on The Good Catholic Life, you can listen to the show right here.

God bless!

Helen

Rockapella on This is the Day

Rockapella will be featured on CatholicTV's This is the Day this Friday at 10:30AM (EST) to present their new CD, "A Rockapella Holiday" and to perform some Christmas favorites.

Rockapella gained fame in the 90s with "Where in the World is Carmen San Diego" and their fame has only grown since then. The band has released 17 albums, both in North America and overseas and 3 compilation albums in Japan.

They recently performed a holiday show with the Boston Pops Orchestra, and are performing at Pops Symphony Hall tomorrow.




Rockapella sings "Silver Bells" on Fox

A true a Cappella group, Rockapella draws fans with its astonishing full-band sound... from only five guys.
“We’re making every bit as much music as the whole ‘Glee’ chorus – but with only five guys,” says Rockapella’s human beat-box Jeff Thacher.

USA Today said it best: “The best musical instrument of all is the human voice – if you’ve seen Rockapella you know that’s the truth.”

The current Rockapella line-up features Scott Leonard (since 1991, High Tenor), Jeff Thacher (1993, Vocal Percussionist), George Baldi III (2002, Bass), John K. Brown (2004, Tenor) and Steven Dorian (2010, Tenor). This line-up marks a regeneration of Rockapella whose talents cover a broad entertainment spectrum and are keenly focused on musical excellence.

CatholicTV has channels in New England on Charter, Comcast, Full Channel, RCN and other carriers. You can watch the CatholicTV Network 24 hours a day at http://CatholicTV.com on your computer or on any mobile device.

This is the Day may be seen across the US on Sky Angel, and selected carriers. This is the Day may also be seen on demand in the US via Verizon FiOS, and iTunes podcast.

Installation of Bishop Peter Libasci, LIVE on America’s Catholic Television Network®

Live on Thursday, December 8, , at 2 PM (ET), The CatholicTV® Network will broadcast the installation Mass of Bishop Peter Libasci as the 10th bishop of the Diocese of Manchester, NH. The Mass will be celebrated at Saint Joseph Cathedral with Cardinal Sean O’Malley and other bishops in attendance.
 
Since his ordination as bishop on June 1, 2007, Bishop-designate Libasci has served as the Episcopal Vicar for the Eastern Vicariate of the Diocese of Rockville Centre. 
 
Born November 9, 1951 in Queens, N.Y., Bishop Libasci attended Catholic schools throughout his childhood and attended seminary at Saint Meinrad Seminary, Indiana.  He was ordained a priest of the Diocese of Rockville Centre on April 1, 1978. On December 10, 2004, Father Libasci was named Honorary Prelate to His Holiness Pope John Paul II with the title of monsignor.  On April 3, 2007, His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI appointed Rev. Msgr. Libasci auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Rockville Centre.  He was installed on June 1, 2007.

Biographic summary, pictures, and a statement from Bishop-designate Libasci and Bishop Murphy will be available on the Diocese of Manchester website: www.CatholicNH.org.
 

As always, viewers can watch CatholicTV on their mobile devices and on the CatholicTV Network cable outlets:
 

Sky Angel channel 142   Chattanooga fiTV 153
in Detroit on Comcast 398, Brighthouse 16, and Wyandotte channel 73
and on Charter 101, Comcast 268, RCN 85, Verizon FiOS 296
 
and live on CatholicTV.com 

 

 

CatholicTV in Detroit

As of yesterday, November 27th, CatholicTV is now in Detroit!

The Archdiocese of Detroit's cable TV channel, CTND, switched its network affiliation to CatholicTV, increasing our potential audience to more than 11 million homes. We're so grateful to Archbishop Allen Vigneron and Ned McGrath, director of communications for the Archdiocese of Detroit, for their openness to the collaboration.

Advent means a new liturgical year for the Catholic Church, and what a perfect season for for a new partnership with Detroit.



CatholicTV's Father Reed had this to add:

In our digital multi-media society, television remains a powerful force for proclaiming the Gospel. It is my sincere hope that our interesting mix of spiritual, educational and entertaining programming from all over the nation will be a source of comfort and strength as well as a force for evangelization for the Church of Detroit.

Please keep the continued expansion of CatholicTV in your prayers, and add your name to our list of supporters at www.CatholicTVEverywhere.com

The Gist

There's a whole lot of exciting stuff happening here at CatholicTV, not the least of which is the upcoming premiere of the brand new [and first Catholic] sitcom, Mass Confusion, on Thanksgiving night.

But as the end of the year approaches, we're also getting really excited about our new women's talk show, The Gist, set to premiere in January. We think relevant Catholic programming for women is long overdue, so CatholicTV producer Kate Andrews, our production team, and all of us here at CatholicTV have been working hard to get this show off the ground. It certainly doesn't hurt that Rachel Balducci, Danielle Bean, and Carolee McGrath are the hosts of this great new show.

We're excited to show you interviews with Lisa Hendey, Martin Sheen & Emilio Estevez, pro life activist Carmel Waters and more, and provide you with the insight and practical advice of our great hosts. We also think it's important to share the experiences of our viewers, so we want to hear from you via our Facebook Polls and Questions.

To stay updated on the show and on opportunities to offer feedback and share your experiences, connect with us on Twitter and Facebook:

 Follow @TheGistCTV

...meanwhile, back at home, our daily presentation of the Mass goes full-HD for Advent with the introduction of the latest and greatest Grass Valley studio cameras and DigiSuper HD lenses.

Honoring Veterans Day

On Veteran’s Day,  Major Gary Good, a strategic planner for the US Military, will be featured on This is the Day.

Major Good, a strategic planner for the military, was deployed to Afghanistan, leaving his assignment at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. It was while he was deployed that he found God and entered the Church.

Major Good has commended the exceptional job of the Catholic Priests who serve in the military, granting the opportunity to build the faith while in a combat zone.

Major Good comes from a family of several veterans, so we would like to honor Major Good and his family, as well as all who have served in the United States Armed Forces this Veteran’s Day.

Tune in to This is the Day at 10:30AM (ET) on Veterans Day to see Major Gary Good. As always, you can watch it live right here: http://CatholicTV.com

To get more information and support our Veterans, visit: www.va.gov.

Mass Confusion Trailer

In case you haven't seen it yet, here is the trailer of the upcoming Mass Confusion pilot, to be aired on Thanksgiving.

I myself first got to see the pilot at the Catholic New Media Conference in Kansas City in the beginning of October, and I can't tell you how positive the reaction was from all the great folks at the conference. The show begged laughter from the people there, who ranged pretty broadly in age.

I was extremely proud of our production crew, and really happy for Greg and Jennifer Willits & Mac and Katherine Barron. There is a huge lack of wholesome, high quality content in television right now. I certainly don't think there's ever been a Catholic sitcom before (and believe me, I've been wanting one for a while now), so it's very cool and very exciting for CatholicTV to be working on this with the Willits and the Barrons.

If you want high quality, authentic Catholic content on television, then we need your help. Share this trailer with your friends and family, and be sure to tune in on November 24th at 8:30 to watch it. Once it goes up online, share the full video as well. We want this project to go forward as much as you do, so we need viewers to make that happen. Help us prove that people want family-friendly, authentic Catholic programming!


The 8:30 premiere of Mass Confusion will be preceded by a House + Home marathon, starting at 4pm. After a break which will include Daily Mass, The Rosary & ClearVoice™, we'll air Mass Confusion for the first time. It will be rebroadcast on Friday at 11:30am & 5:30pm, Saturday at 8:30am & 10pm, and Sunday at 3:30pm.
Find out where to watch, or watch it anywhere at http://www.CatholicTV.com, including on any mobile device.

Cathy Rush on ClearVoice

On October 27,  Cathy Rush, Head Women's Basketball Coach of Immaculata from 1972 to 1977 will be on ClearVoice™ to discuss The Mighty Macs, a new film based on the true story of the 1971-72 Immaculata College team that started in obscurity but became the original Cinderella story in women's basketball. This team of pioneers went from barely making that inaugural tournament to the first dynasty in their game.

A pioneer in women's sports, Cathy Rush was the basketball coach at Immaculata College for seven years, winning the first three Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) championships from 1972-74. At a time when women's basketball used archaic rules, Cathy taught her teams more aggressive tactics, similar to those used by men's teams, leading to excellent results.

Cathy’s overall accomplishments, including a record of 149-15 (a .909 winning percentage), earned her induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2008. She was also a 2000 inductee into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame.

During her time at Immaculata, Cathy led players such as Theresa Shank Grentz, Rene Muth Portland, and Marianne Crawford Stanley, who became successful basketball coaches as well. In 1975, she coached the U.S. women's basketball to the Pan American Games gold medal. After retiring as a coach, Cathy became the first female commentator for women's basketball on national television in 1978. She has worked with NBC, CBS, ESPN, CBN, and PRISM.

The Mighty Macs stars Carla Gugino as Cathy Rush; David Boreanaz as her husband, NBA referee Ed Rush; Marley Shelton as Sister Sunday; and Academy Award, Tony Award & Primetime Emmy Award winner Ellen Burstyn as Mother St. John. The film was written, directed, and produced by Tim Chambers. The film's executive producers are Pat Croce, the former president of the NBA's Philadelphia 76ers, and Vince Curran, a successful businessman and former basketball star at Penn. Curran and Chambers are founders and partners of Quaker Media.

Also appearing on the October 27, 2011 episode of ClearVoice™ is Amanda Lopez, winner of the Voice of an Angel Season 2 competition. Voice of an Angel is a singing competition with a higher purpose, premiering in 2007 as a competition for high schools in the South Florida community.

Amanda Lopez sings for CatholicTV

We had the pleasure of having Amanda Lopez in the studio yesterday to shoot a musical performance. Amanda won the Voice of an Angel contest in 2008. Along with Caro Fernandez, Deanna Pavese and Matt Sanchez (also winners of the contest), Amanda has been a part of the Stand United campaign, which revolves around a song of the same name, written to commemorate the 10th anniversary of September 11th, 2001.








Part of the promotion of the song has been an effort to rekindle the unity the nation felt after 9/11. Downloaders of the free song have been encouraged to donate to the 9/11 charity of their choice, and fans are asked to submit pictures of themselves "Standing United" with their loved ones.

Amanda w/ a few friends, Standing United

Amanda just started as a freshman at the Boston Conservatory, and was able to come in to our studios and shoot a solo version of the patriotic song. She's a very busy young woman with her school schedule, but was eager to come in for an interview and shooting of her song before she had to head back to class. I got a few pictures and some behind-the-scenes video of her visit. She sounded great and was a total pleasure!

W/ ClearVoice producer Kate Andrews

Sound Check w/engineer Steve Sasso

Chatting in the Green Room

Protect Life: Fire Prevention Week

Father Daniel Mahoney, Charlestown, MA

CatholicTV's daily Mass was celebrated today by Father Daniel Mahoney, of  Charlestown, MA.

We were also blessed to have retired firefighter, Chief John Ellis from Boston's District 11, as the Lector at Mass in honor of Fire Prevention Week. You can view today's Mass and listen to Fr. Mahoney's homily about firefighters here: www.CatholicTV.com/Catholic-Mass-1012.aspx

John Ellis- Retired Chief, District 11

Father Mahoney was ordained a Priest in 1956. He was assigned to St. Francis de Sales Parish in Charlestown in 1968 and has served as pastor since 1978. In 1964, Father Mahoney began his association with the Boston Fire Department as Assistant Chaplain and became its Chief Chaplain in 1991. In these roles, Father Mahoney has responded to hundreds of incidents and offered comfort to all firefighters and their families.

The National Fire Prevention Association celebrates Fire Prevention Week from October 9-15, 2011. Fire Prevention Week focuses on preventing home fires and protecting families in the community with life-saving technologies and planning. 

As we continue to celebrate Pro Life month, we are truly grateful for the men and women who put themselves in harm's way out of concern for all human life. They truly proclaim a Gospel of Life and are a light to the world. We can all show our appreciation and concern for them by taking preventive measures in our homes.

Pro Life Month: Finding the Courage to Talk About Abortion

Have you ever heard of the "spiral of silence"? Put simply, this theory says that people are less likely to voice their opinion about something if they believe they are in the minority. I always pictured an Odyssey-style whirlpool or a sinkhole when learning about this theory in college communications classes. When one person is silent, others around her lose their courage to speak, and still more around them lose their courage to speak. The result is an ever increasing number of people being pulled into silence because of a pervasive fear.

You probably didn't know that most people are pro life. If you're anything like me, you may know rationally that at least half of Americans are pro life, but you still feel like you're in the minority. It's easy to dismiss abortion as an off-limits topic, especially if you think no one agrees with you. But the way we fight the spiral of silence is by letting people around us know that they are not alone in their convictions.

In this latest LifeLine, Carolee McGrath talks about having courage to talk about abortion.

Talking About Abortion

Emilio Estevez's "The Way" Opens Tomorrow

“The Way," written and directed by Emilio Estevez, and starring Martin Sheen, opens Boston, MA, and Danvers, MA tomorrow. On tonight's ClearVoice we will be airing an exclusive interview with Sheen and Estevez about the film. Tune in at 8PM EST at www.CatholicTV.com

"The Way" is a powerful and inspirational story about family, friends, and the challenges we face while navigating this ever-changing and complicated world. Martin Sheen plays Tom, an American doctor who comes to St. Jean Pied de Port, France to collect the remains of his adult son (played by Emilio Estevez), killed in the Pyrenees in a storm while walking the Camino de Santiago, also known as The Way of Saint James. Rather than return home, Tom decides to embark on the historical pilgrimage to honor his son's desire to finish the journey. What Tom doesn't plan on is the profound impact the journey will have on him and his "California Bubble Life.”

Inexperienced as a trekker, Tom soon discovers that he will not be alone on this journey. On "The Way," Tom meets other pilgrims from around the world, each with their own issues and looking for greater meaning in their lives: a Dutchman (Yorick van Wageningen), a Canadian (Deborah Kara Unger) and an Irish writer (James Nesbitt), who is suffering from a bout of writer's block.

CatholicTV's President, Father Robert Reed, had the honor to host the premiere of “The Way” in Boston, MA.

THE WAY is not necessarily a 'religious' film, but it is deeply spiritual and so very human,” said Father Reed. “With moments of tragedy and anguish and with humor as well, it's about the way we live and move through life alongside those encountered on the road.  We are companions on this journey of life and 'The Way' will open your eyes to the deeper meaning of the twists and turns, the climbing and falling of the human pilgrimage.  For an old fashioned movie experience, some lasting lessons and a gentle lift, go see it.

From the unexpected and, oftentimes, amusing experiences along "The Way," this unlikely quartet of misfits creates an everlasting bond and Tom begins to learn what it means to be a citizen of the world again. Through Tom's unresolved relationship with his son, he discovers the difference between "the life we live and the life we choose."

THE WAY, written and directed by Emilio Estevez, was filmed entirely in Spain and France along the actual Camino de Santiago.

October Lifelines Continued

Pro-Life month continues at CatholicTV. In these short reflections, Carolee McGrath explores the faithful obedience of Mary, and discusses the inspirational teens who attend the yearly March for Life.

Let's continue to observe the month of the Rosary by praying that the example of Mary and these young people can be an inspiration to all.

Mary Said Yes!

March for Life

More Lifelines from Carolee McGrath

In these Lifelines, Carolee tells us about a ministry that holds retreats for men & women who are suffering because of abortion, and some teens from her parish who offer their time to pray near abortion clinics.

Rachel's Vineyard

Abortion Clinic Prayer

October: The Pro-Life Month

October is traditionally known as the month of the rosary (and during this month we give special honor to Mary), and so it's fitting that it is also Pro-Life month. The renewal of our prayer lives in this month can well serve an issue which requires a lot of prayer.

In honor of Pro-Life month, CatholicTV is featuring a series of 'Lifelines' with Carolee McGrath. Here are the first two in a series of short reflections by Carolee.

40 Days for Life

God Doesn't Make Mistakes

Tomorrow: Mary Lou Rosien on This is the Day

Mary Lou, author of Catholic Family Bootcamp will discuss her 30-day-devotional intended to build virtue within the family unit. The virtues developed include: hope, love, justice, prudence, temperance, fortitude and faith. Daily Scripture readings and suggested tasks make the devotional easy to follow.

Peggy Bowes, author of The Rosary Workout, praises Mary Lou on her dedication.

As a former Air Force pilot, I've been to boot camp, specifically at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs. That was the toughest six weeks of my life! Conquering boot camp was one of my greatest achievements. I love that my friend Mary Lou has titled this 30-day-family devotional "Catholic Family Boot Camp." Her program is grounded in solid Catholic principles and virtues. She sets the bar high but gives families plenty of motivation and encouragement to persevere. She perfectly plays the role of the sensitive drill sergeant by setting high standards, providing the right tools for the job, and instilling confidence that success can be achieved. Mary Lou doesn't yell, humiliate or get in your face but generously shares her wisdom and experience in cultivating a holy family.

Mary Lou was motivated to write Catholic Family Boot Camp when she realized that there was nothing like it out there for Catholic families. Mary Lou states,

My husband and I have always operated our family as a team, and we wanted an active devotional we could do as a family. I combined our years of experience in marriage, life, as marriage/parenting coaches and as pre-Cana instructors and came up with the idea for this book.

Mary Lou invites all "boot campers" to join her at www.CatholicFamilyBootcamp.com to ask questions, share ideas and just have fun!

Also appearing is US Marine Corps Captain Nathan Waters via satellite from Afghanistan. Captain Waters will discuss the many ways that his faith sustains him during his deployment.

Be sure to tune in at 10:30AM ET!