Canton native, EWTN founder Mother Angelica passes away

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Not sure just how many people here follow EWTN, but, from its humble beginnings in a garage it has grown to a giant among broadcasters sending signals and programming to about 145 countries around the globe. This was all started by a nun with a vision. Countless stories have been pouring in about how having the station available has had a positive effect in people's lives.

Canton native, EWTN founder Mother Angelica passes away

HANCEVILLE, Alabama (AP) — Mother Mary Angelica, a folksy Roman Catholic nun who used a monastery garage to begin a television ministry that grew into a global religious media empire, had died. She was 92.

Known to millions of viewers simply as "Mother Angelica," the founder of the Eternal Word Television Network died Easter Sunday at the rural monastery where she lived about 45 miles north of Birmingham, according to EWTN Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Michael P. Warsaw.

"Mother has always, and will always, personify EWTN, the Network which she founded. 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. We thank God for Mother Angelica and for the gift of her extraordinary life," Warsaw said in a news release late Sunday.

Mother Angelica had been in declining health since suffering a severe cerebral hemorrhage on Christmas Eve 2001. She never regained her full speaking ability and had other, less-severe strokes through the years.

Bedridden for months, Mother Angelica was placed on a feeding tube this fall as her health slowly declined, fellow nuns at Our Lady of the Angels Monastery said in an announcement released in November.

While critics sometimes accuse Eternal Word Television Network of being too conservative or too liberal, it says it tries to stick to the leadership of the Vatican. The network reports extensively on statements and trips by the pope.

Despite its humble beginnings, EWTN Global Catholic Network calls itself the world's largest religious media network. It has 11 TV networks that broadcast Catholic programming to more than 258 million households in more than 145 counties and territories.

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It was also the inspiration for the Ava Marie Radio Network, among others.

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Was watching some of the shows this week on EWTN, and while the commentators mentioned Archbishop Fulton Sheen as the main 20th century Catholic electronic media voice that most older and baby boomers will recall, Mother Angelica took the electronic platform to a new level at the same time when Pope John Paul II was getting his message out and starting his journey as the most traveled pope in history. EWTN made a point of providing frequent papal coverage, as well as a wealth of shows covering a range of topics.

Interestingly, the EWTN offices have been flooded with calls, e-mails, texts and other testimonials describing how Mother Angelica and EWTN helped people across a broad spectrum of society and how she and the network had improved their lives. She touched a lot of people's lives around the globe in a positive way, no doubt about it.

Most religiously-based programming (Catholic and non-Catholic) exist today due to EWTN and the programming and other information feeds originating from their offices.