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Mother Mary Angelica of the Annunciation, P.C.P.A., founder of the EWTN Global Catholic Network, died peacefully on Easter Sunday, March 27, surrounded by the Poor Clare Nuns of Perpetual Adoration of Our Lady of the Angels Monastery in Hanceville, Ala. “This is a sorrow-filled day for the entire EWTN Family,” said EWTN’s chairman and chief executive officer, Michael P. Warsaw. “In the face of sickness and long-suffering trials, Mother’s example of joy and prayerful perseverance exemplified the Franciscan spirit she held so dear.” Her popular EWTN television show, “Mother Angelica Live,” was launched in 1983. Mitch Pacwa, S.J., a Scripture scholar and the host of “EWTN Live,” commented, “The history of Catholicism in the United States will need to include a section, if not a chapter, on Mother Angelica.” In a remembrance published at americamedia.org, Father Pacwa said “authenticity” was one of Mother Angelica’s stand-out characteristics. A sometimes combative presence on camera, “she was absolutely no different offstage than on. She said what she honestly thought because she believed it to be true, and she did not fear that anyone might dislike her. Her only fear would be to displease the Lord Jesus.”

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Richard Booth
8 years 1 month ago
As I watched Mother Angelica's show from time to time, I felt reverted to my desk during Grade School years. I never heard her say anything I hadn't heard years before (and often), from both nuns and priests. I didn't care to research what some of the male hierarchy criticized her for, but wondered why they were doing the criticizing. Of course, she loved the tradition and the traditional; perhaps she wasn't "progressive" enough for them. Or, perhaps the vision of a nun, a woman, preaching and teaching for an hour was too much for them. I don't know. She was forthright, but no more so than those who taught me all those years ago. I think, in some cases, the traditional "hellfire and brimstone" approach has been replaced today by arrogance and hubris under the guise of something like "I guess we had better be nicer now." I have much inner turmoil about the clerical class, as perhaps my comment may demonstrate. We used to respect clerics; now, I just don't know...

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