What EWTN? EWTN What?

Mmmm. . .

What the heck is EWTN? Editha Won Tongits, naku? No. Esbers Win Two iNnovas? No.

EWTN stands for Eternal Word Television Network. It started out in humble circumstances, sometime in 1980-81 by a Franciscan nun by the name of Mother Angelica. It has grown big since then, through the financial support of Catholics mostly from the US. At present, it is the only 24-hour Catholic global satellite cable TV network, which can also be found in the web at www.ewtn.com, and in radio throughout the US and Canada. Based on survey and data, EWTN cable TV, radio and internet now reaches about 100 million homes worldwide.

For starters, one can't help but be awed about its growth and reach, considering that it all started in an abandoned, beat-up garage of a monastery by a sickly nun who had no money. Think about it for a second. You know how much TV equipment costs, not to mention satellite dishes and airtime. This venture into cable TV in the early 80's truly started with zero money; nothing at all.

Oooh, incidentally, remember Jeanne Young, our very own former actress and TV personality? She now works for EWTN as a producer of various shows for the network. Once in a while, she appears on the shows singing or sharing her story.

EWTN does not have the viewer-base size of NBC, CBS and ABC, or Fox even, but it is not on air for business or profit, you know. It does not air paid TV ads that generate revenues and it does not also charge fees for the airing of its shows. It runs total on donations.

Its only objective is to spread Jesus, the Eternal Word, and what a great job it is doing.

Do I believe that God has a hand in this - the propagation of The Word through EWTN? You bet I do, and millions of others.

In my 6 years or so of tuning in to EWTN, I have heard hundreds of testimonies from people who have once turned away from God but have reconciled with God through some show being aired at EWTN. People who hunger for God's Word have been hooked, yes, literary hooked to the catechism shows; while others who were down experienced conversion by listening to testimonies of other converts.

I can go on and on, talking about miracles of conversions and deeper spiritually but I do hope that you, my blood relations, find time to browse at some of the shows being aired. There are a lot really to view, but all of them point to Jesus. The EWTN website is also a great source of Catholic teaching because it has, in electronic form, copies upon copies of writings and works of great Catholics - from Popes to the Saints.

In this world of so much evil, lies, deceit, hate and anger, I urge you to go back to the teachings of the Church on faith and morality.

EWTN has helped so many people know more about God's love for man and man's search for the truth, and that includes the writer hereof.

Tell your friends about EWTN and what it does. The life you save may be your very own.