Mother Angelica and the founding of EWTN
The future Mother Angelica was born Rita Antoinette Rizzo on April 28, 1923 in Canton, Ohio, and by 1976, Mother Angelica had written 50 booklets and recorded 150 audio cassette teaching tapes. When she was given the opportunity to make video tape programs for television, she realized the impact television could have in spreading the Faith. Converting a planned garage behind the monastery into a television studio, Mother Angelica founded the Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN). EWTN began airing programs on August 15, 1981 via satellite to cable companies and home satellite dishes. In 1992, Mother Angelica also founded WEWN to broadcast Catholic programs world-wide via short-wave radio.
EWTN has become a powerful voice for conservative American Roman Catholics, despite its location in the not-particularly Catholic state of Alabama in the Bible Belt of the Deep South. She was frequently seen on the network teaching or taking questions from viewers via telephone. She hosted the highly successful "Mother Angelica Live" television program which aired on Tuesday and Wednesday nights and is currently hosted each Wednesday night by noted Scripture scholar and long time EWTN personality, Fr. Mitch Pacwa, S.J. The show is simply titled EWTN LIVE. Mother Angelica Live Classics can be seen at 8:00pm EST on Tuesday night.
Mother Angelica suffered some health setbacks (especially a severe stroke) now that she is an octogenarian, but she has stabilized according to sources close to her. She was based at "Our Lady of the Angels Monastery" in Irondale, Alabama near Birmingham but moved to a more secluded monastery, which she built just recently, located in Hanceville, Alabama. The monastery can often be seen on EWTN during a live airing of Benediction and Devotions. Mother Angelica no longer makes live appearances on EWTN. Reruns of her old Mother Angelica Live show, as well as reruns of The Holy Rosary with Mother Angelica and the Nuns, appear regularly on the network. Mother Angelica Live, saw St. Michael the Archangel standing in the place where EWTN would later be founded. There are many Catholics who believe Mother Angelica is a modern day saint and attribute their renewed faith to her show and prayers.
