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Home  / News & Publications /  Michigan Catholic News / 2008 /  175 years of proclaiming the Good News

Published August 1, 2008

My Brothers and Sisters in the Lord:

As we continue to commemorate our 175th anniversary, this month I would like to reflect on the importance of social communications and, in particular, on Catholic media in the Archdiocese of Detroit and its critical role to proclaim the Gospel and deepen our faith life.

Communication: A life-long gift

The desire and ability to communicate is built into the very fiber of all creation. When we know something joyful, we are eager to share the experience or story. In times of sorrow and challenge, a conversation helps put things into perspective. Theologians remind us that as human beings, God made us as being capable of "hearing the Word." Throughout the centuries, and in every culture, Christians have marveled at how God's Word, His own Son, took on human flesh. We continue to bring that Word alive through prayer and study of Scripture, and in the celebration of the Holy Eucharist and the other sacraments.

St. Paul, a model communicator

In this year dedicated to St. Paul, it is very appropriate for us to reflect on the power of God's Word at work in every time and place. St. Paul, the great preacher to the Gentiles, reminds us that God's Word needs to be proclaimed in ever-new ways according to the cultural circumstances of our life and times. In recent history, the advent of the internet has joined other media as an interactive way to be involved in learning about and spreading the Good News. Here, the Web site www.aodonline.org joins The Michigan Catholic and the Catholic Television Network of Detroit (CTND) as archdiocesan media enterprises.

In a variety of different ways, countless men and women have proclaimed the Gospel and taught the faith to others in the archdiocese, not only in churches and schools, but also through the way they raised their families. Church architecture, art and music are also ways the Christian faith has been shared from generation to generation. In a very powerful and necessary way, we have also been blessed by the specialized service of those who have interpreted for us world and local events; news commentators and authors have a great influence in forming the minds and hearts of people and shaping their values.

Pope John Paul II to the media

When our late Holy Father Pope John Paul II visited the United States 21 years ago, I remember vividly the powerful address he gave in Los Angeles as he spoke to people involved in all aspects of the media, including television, radio, motion pictures and the print media. On that occasion, he spoke about the "immense spiritual power" that the media exercise within the American culture and, indeed, all around the world. He noted how the media not only supply information, but also shape public opinion, and through their voices, they form a culture; indeed, the communication media can be a force for great good or great evil. He challenged all members of the communication industry to remember that communication must always be "two-way" and, therefore, those who do the communicating must always be ready and willing to listen to the deep things of the Spirit, things that speak about human dignity and all that is good and noble within our world.

Both the late Holy Father and his successor have urged us, as media consumers, to become more aware of the power – and potential for misuse – of the resources available to us in the fields of social communications. In his 2007 World Communications Day Message, Pope Benedict XVI urged society, especially families, "… to learn how to use (the media) wisely and prudently." Beyond encouraging media literacy, both pontiffs have also reminded Catholics of the unique role played by religious and spiritual media, especially those on the diocesan level.

The Michigan Catholic

In southeastern Michigan, the Catholic newspaper was our first media outlet. Now in its 136th year, The Michigan Catholic continues to report both national and international events in the life of the Church. Above all, it gives a special focus on local events happening in our parishes and vicariates and raises awareness of current issues and their relevance to Catholic social teaching. I have always relied on The Michigan Catholic as a vehicle for communicating the Church's perspective on the many different social events of our times. While we can receive insights from the secular media, quite often, their analysis does not always appreciate the nuances, history, and underlying theological issues that shape the Church's teachings, especially on the dignity of life and human sexuality.

The Michigan Catholic provides a weekly forum for me to share my thoughts and concerns in a semi-official way with all the people of the archdiocese. It is a primary means of communicating concerns that relate to the entire archdiocese, particularly regarding our clergy, religious and other pastoral leaders.

For the past two years, The Michigan Catholic has been recognized nationally as one of the best diocesan papers in the country. But these well-deserved honors come at time when the entire newspaper industry itself is in the midst of a seachange transition, and Catholic periodicals in particular are facing even more difficult challenges with rising costs and declining circulation. Despite these struggles, I never cease to be amazed at the number of people who comment on things they read in The Michigan Catholic. We have every reason for pride in our paper and in its long tradition of excellent journalism.

On this occasion, it is appropriate to look back with gratitude and acknowledge some of the people who have been at the helm of the paper over the decades, including Msgr. Hubert Maino, William Kienzle, Margaret Cronyn, Msgr. F. Gerald Martin, Msgr. Patrick Halfpenny, and, currently, Msgr. Thomas Rice. I commend the current general manager Gerry Rauch and managing editor Marylynn G. Hewitt, SFO, and all those who are presently the stewards of this great tradition. I am especially grateful for the time and effort that the staff of The Michigan Catholic gives each year to the special events that happen, such as ordinations, parish anniversaries, as well as offering information on programs and topics that bring our faith into our daily lives.

Catholic Radio

When considering archdiocesan history, it's impossible to overlook or underplay the significance of Fr. Charles Coughlin's radio programs. The "Radio Priest" began his broadcasts in 1926 as a way to increase his flock at the newly established and financially floundering Shrine of the Little Flower in Royal Oak.

Over time, Fr. Coughlin's fiery radio addresses gradually had become less and less perceptive on social justice issues and more and more provocative, most notably on matters involving politics, religion, and ethnic heritage and he was silenced by Cardinal Mooney in 1938.

In more recent years, thanks to the generosity and financial commitment of a number of Catholic business people, we have been blessed by two independently owned and operated Catholic radio stations — Garden City-based Michigan Catholic Radio (WCAR 1090-AM) and Ave Maria Radio (WDEO 990-AM), broadcasting from Ann Arbor. I myself have been a frequent contributor to the radio programming on these stations and can speak with pride about the number of wise and articulate voices that can be heard on a regular basis on the airwaves. Radio ministry is – more than ever – a powerful means of educating people in the faith and helping them form their consciences. Programs on Scripture study and various social issues are of great value for countless people of all ages as we live through these challenging times.

Catholic television

Thanks to the foresight and financial commitment of Cardinal Edmund C. Szoka in 1982, the Catholic Television Network of Detroit was established. Under the leadership of Msgr. Robert Humitz, the television ministry of the archdiocese was launched as part of a national effort that also included the emergence of Mother Angelica's Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN) from Birmingham, Ala.

For more than 15 years, I've had the opportunity to speak to CTND's viewers on the locally produced interview program "Dialogue." It's provided me the opportunity to talk to fascinating people involved in myriad programs and organizations serving the archdiocese. And at other times, the table has been turned and I've been the subject of the interviews from members of the local media.

Now capably managed by Ken Kolb, our own cable channel can boast of being among the best in the nation for creating on a regular basis a wide variety of shows that deal with every aspect of Church life, from Scripture to liturgy, to the moral life. I hear from countless people who find great consolation through the Sunday morning Mass for Shut-Ins on Channel 2 (WJBK-TV), rebroadcast later that same day on CTND.

In a good example of media convergence, one of our more remarkable local productions, the Mass in mid-May celebrating our 175th anniversary, was broadcast on CTND, video-streamed over our archdiocesan Web site, and made into a DVD shared with all our parishes. And, just a few weeks ago, I enjoyed watching the daily television coverage from Australia and World Youth Day. It was the next best thing to being there.

The Internet

Launched in the mid-90s, www.AODonline.org has grown exponentially every year since. It has become an invaluable tool to the archdiocese in its ability to post late-breaking news, parish and school information, a dynamic calendar of events, prayers and reflections, Church documents, resource materials, etc. Information Technology Director Chris Snyder has done a commendable job in coordinating our efforts.

The Internet's potential is almost endless in its ability to support all of our ministries. For example, in promoting social communications, our Web site includes such things as an online version of The Michigan Catholic, the CTND program guide, and audio podcasts on everything from Catholic Social Teaching to the Catholic Services Appeal. I'm confident we are well positioned as technology continues to push us to new and exciting ways to share the Gospel, be it from blogs, text messages, or digital media.

Communications: A professional ministry yet a vocation for all

Only in recent decades has the Church been blessed with paid, full-time professional staff who help us formulate and communicate our message. Here in the archdiocese, Msgr. Patrick Halfpenny was the first communications director in our current sense of the position. The late Jay Berman was the voice of the archdiocese during the challenging years of Church closings and brought strength, serenity and professional competence to the often heated media coverage. We have been greatly blessed by Ned McGrath's wisdom and leadership, experience and networking skills for the past 17 years. I would like to publicly commend and acknowledge him and his excellent staff that includes all those in the Offices of Public Relations, Television, and Printing and Mailing.

Ultimately, each one of us is part of the ministry of communication: In the unique circumstances of our lives, each of us can and should give voice to Gospel values and the teachings of the Church. I thank you all for your courage to speak up in defense of the faith, and as St. Paul once said, I encourage you never to be ashamed of the Gospel!

The Good News of Jesus Christ first came to Metro Detroit through Jesuit and Franciscan missionaries. Wise and forward-thinking leaders such as Fr. Gabriel Richard wanted to ensure a strong Catholic presence through the media and they laid the foundation upon which we have continued to build. In this anniversary year, let us rejoice in the many ways we are privileged to share in the ongoing communication of God's Word – by hearing and studying it, praying and proclaiming it.

Sincerely yours in the Lord,

†Adam Cardinal Maida
Archbishop of Detroit

download image Kristin Lukowski | The Michigan Catholic Managing editor Marylynn G. Hewitt, SFO, discusses an upcoming story for The Michigan Catholic with reporter Joe Kohn and Msgr. Thomas Rice, executive editor.

During this month of August, as we continue to observe the 175th anniversary of our Archdiocese, we recall with gratitude the countless men and women who have helped ensure the continued proclamation and application of the Gospel message to the life circumstances of our times. We rejoice in the blessing of the Michigan Catholic, radio, and telecommunications, and during this year of St. Paul, we recommit ourselves to the work of evangelization and catechesis.

God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, we give you thanks for the Word made Flesh, your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.

As we contemplate the mystery of His Incarnation and His abiding presence in and through His Body, the Church, give us the grace and strength to faithfully hear your Word and proclaim it.

In a special way, send your Holy Spirit to guide the work of all those involved in the service of communication.

May they realize the power confided to them and always use it for your glory and to build up the dignity of the human person and the human family.

We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God forever and ever. Amen.

download image Larry A. Peplin Ken Kolb, director of the Catholic Television Network of Detroit, (standing), joins others looking at a bank of monitors at the studio.