MOTHER ANGELICA. Inspiring stories of conversion.
Last April 20, EWTN celebrated the 90th birthday of Mother Angelica, the contemplative charismatic Franciscan nun who founded the world’s largest Catholic media network, with inspiring stories of conversion recounted by its EVP and COO, Doug Keck, and its chaplain, Fr. Joseph Mary Wolfe.
Guesting on Fr. Mitch Pacwa’s program, “EWTN Live,” Fr. Joseph narrated how he joined EWTN in 1985 as an engineer. After some time, he said, Mother Angelica told him, “You’re going to be a brother in the new community I’m starting—but, you don’t know it yet.” And true enough, two years later, he was one of those who founded the Franciscan Missionaries of the Eternal Word (MFVA). In 1993, he was ordained.
Keck said that after he spent 20 years as a cable-company executive in New York, Mother Angelica invited him to work for her—a move that has reinvigorated his faith.
Fr. Pacwa said this of Mother Angelica’s authenticity: There was no difference in what you saw on TV and how you knew her off-cam.
Prayer life
He also spoke of how her profound prayer life helped urgently pay for a satellite dish to the tune of $60,000 (which she didn’t have then). After she spent some time in deep prayer before the Blessed Sacrament, a man (who didn’t know about the dish) phoned Mother Angelica to inform her that he was donating—exactly $60,000!
Raymond Arroyo, EWTN news director and Mother Angelica’s biographer, honored her by reading some letters and e-mails of viewers on his program, “The World Over,” relating how they had been brought back to the faith and the sacraments.
Today, the beloved nun is mostly praying and resting in bed, and is being cared for 24/7 by the sisters in her community after she suffered a major stroke.