EWTN remembers Mother Angelica, 10 years after her death
EWTN is commemorating the 10th anniversary of the death of its foundress, Mother Angelica, on March 27. A memorial Mass will be celebrated at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome by Father Michael Baggot, LC, at 11 a.m. ET. The network is airing special daylong programming, including a remembrance show and services from the EWTN chapel. Mother Angelica founded EWTN in 1981, growing it from a small studio in an Alabama monastery into the world's largest Catholic media network. The commemorations will be accessible globally via EWTN's television, digital platforms, and streaming services.
6 months ago
EWTN is marking the 10th anniversary of Mother Angelica's death on March 27, 2016, with a memorial Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome.1 2 3
The Mass, celebrated by Father Michael Baggot, LC, at the Choir Altar at 11 a.m. ET on March 27, 2026, honors her love for the basilica's grandeur.1 2 3
Special programming includes a daylong schedule aired on EWTN's platforms worldwide.1 2 3
Events feature a remembrance Mass at 8 a.m. ET, Holy Rosary at 9 a.m. ET, and Stations of the Cross at 3 p.m. ET from the EWTN chapel in Irondale, Alabama.1 2 3
Born Rita Antoinette Rizzo in 1923, she entered religious life in Ohio as Sister Mary Angelica of the Annunciation.1 2 3
She later founded a Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration monastery in Irondale, Alabama.1 2 3
Her community initially funded evangelization through humble efforts like selling fishing lures and roasted peanuts.1 2 3
In 1981, Mother Angelica launched EWTN from a garage studio at her monastery.1 2 3
Pioneering satellite religious broadcasting, it grew from local efforts into the world's largest Catholic media network.1 2 3
Today, EWTN operates 11 TV channels in multiple languages, reaching over 160 countries.1 2 3
It includes radio affiliates, digital platforms, EWTN News, and a top U.S. Catholic website.1 2 3
EWTN Chairman Michael Warsaw noted her enduring love of Christ inspires new audiences via modern platforms.1 2 3
She died at 92 on Easter Sunday 2016 after stroke effects; her Hanceville funeral drew thousands.1 2 3
Kathryn Jean Lopez called her a "joy and inspiration," emphasizing her Eucharistic devotion.1 2 3
Analyze Mother Angelica’s media ministry within Catholic evangelization
The Catholic Church teaches that social communications media are indispensable tools for the new evangelization, enabling the Gospel to reach vast audiences, foster inculturation, and counter secular influences. This framework underscores the importance of Catholic media initiatives, though the provided sources do not directly reference Mother Angelica or her founding of the Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN). Instead, they emphasize the Church's call for active engagement with media to proclaim Christ, form believers critically, and integrate faith into modern culture.
Papal and curial documents consistently portray media as a "new Areopagus" for evangelization, echoing St. Paul VI's assertion that the Church would be "guilty before the Lord" if it failed to use these powerful means. Pope John Paul II, in Ecclesia in America, stressed the need for "knowledge and use of the media" to achieve "genuine inculturation of the Gospel," recommending training for pastoral workers, high-quality production centers, and critical media education for the faithful. Similarly, Ecclesia in Asia advocates diocesan media offices, media education in formation programs, and collaboration with other faiths to promote spiritual values.
This vision extends to digital frontiers, as in The Church and Internet, which highlights the Internet's capacity to "carry religious information and teaching beyond all barriers," urging Catholics to integrate the Gospel into the "new culture" shaped by communications. Pope Benedict XVI in Africae Munus viewed media as "a world to be evangelized," serving authentic communication and human development. Earlier, Aetatis Novae (1992) called media "essential in evangelization and catechesis," insisting on presence within the communications world to employ "new languages, new techniques and a new psychology."
Key principles include:
Pope John Paul II reinforced this in his 2001 World Communications Day message, calling communicators to "preach the truth of Jesus ever more boldly... from the housetops," addressing de-Christianized societies where many baptized have lost faith.
The sources link media directly to the "new evangelization," a priority since Paul VI's Evangelii Nuntiandi (1975), intensified by John Paul II. This involves initial proclamation, ongoing formation, and re-evangelization of lapsed faithful. Scholarly reflections, such as J. Brian Benestad's, note Catholic universities' role in this, but extend the logic to media as witnesses to Christ. William L. Portier describes an "evangelical impulse" among Catholics, citing EWTN as part of converts' influence in fostering deeper faith commitment.
In this context, Catholic media ministries combat doctrinal "collapse" and indifference, as Ralph Martin observes, where silence on eternal truths erodes faith; media can restore clarity. Perry J. Cahall emphasizes proclamation via homilies, modern communications, and personal witness as "indispensable." William E. May ties it to Veritatis Splendor, requiring metanoia for receiving truth.
Sources identify risks: media shape culture, often blurring truth with materialism or hedonism. Responses include:
Pope John Paul II praised Latin American computer networks for faith dissemination, preparing for ongoing evangelization.
While no source details Mother Angelica's contributions, EWTN appears in discussions of evangelical Catholicism, linked to converts like Marcus Grodi who promote Scripture, Fathers, and doctrine via media. This aligns with calls for "high-quality production centers" and tools sustaining Catholic identity in minority contexts. Her ministry would exemplify the Church's vision of media as a "modern pulpit" for personal encounter with Christ.
The provided references—primarily magisterial from Popes John Paul II, Benedict XVI, and councils—offer a robust theology of media evangelization but lack biographical or evaluative content on Mother Angelica. Scholarly pieces provide complementary insights into new evangelization dynamics. For direct analysis of her work, additional sources would be needed.
Catholic teaching positions media ministries as vital for proclaiming Christ amid cultural shifts, demanding active, critical, and coordinated engagement. This underscores the enduring call to use communications for the new evangelization, renewing faith in a media-saturated world.