Saint Ann's Media

THE DAILY MASS

OUR HISTORY

Our Mission

To share with all people,
especially the aging and infirm,
God's greatest gift - the daily Eucharist

Overview

Saint Ann's Media has produced and televised the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass on a nationwide basis since 1991.   At one time a one-day per week broadcast, it has grown to where the Mass is aired across the United States by two national television networks and can also be seen world wide on the Internet.  The Daily Mass produced by Saint Ann's Media is one of only a few Catholic Masses that is broadcast to the entire country on a daily basis.

Viewers can contact the Media through our toll-free telephone number 1-800-THE-MASS (1-800-843-6277) or through our address at PO Box 111, Scranton, PA 18504.

The Director of Saint Ann's Media is Father Michael Salvagna, C.P., a member of the Passionist Community.   Business Administrator Walter Tigue is assisted by an office staff that includes: Production Manager Joseph Fox, Webmaster Rich Shelp, Office Assistant Barbara Shelp and Marketing/Development Director Vera Kowal Krewsun.

Our History

The Passionists came to Scranton in 1902 upon the invitation of Bishop Michael J. Hoban.  Early on, they constructed a Church and a monastery, providing for the spiritual needs of many who resided in the coal-mining region.  For many years it served as a Passionist house of studies and a place for clergy retreats.  The name of Saint Ann was suggested as a compliment to the Blessed Mother and Her mother, Ann.  As Passionist Father, Fidelis Stone, C.P., the founder of Saint Ann's predicted, "Saint Ann will take care of her own."  This became evident during two potentially catastrophic incidents which took place at the monastery and church in the early years.  There was a mine subsidence in 1911 which miraculously ceased after many days of prayer and devotion to Saint Ann.  Again in 1913, a "squeeze", or a slide occurred beneath the grounds of the church and the monastery.  The area was evacuated and many thought that all had been lost.  After an entire night of fervent prayer to the blessed saint, mining experts were stunned to learn that slide had stopped and that solid ground was found beneath the church.  Once the repairs were completed, weekly, public devotions to Saint Ann took place and eventually grew to a Solemn Novena to Saint Ann which takes place each year during the month of July.  Both the weekly and annual novenas continue to take place to the present day attracting thousands of pilgrims each year.  In 1996, Pope John Paul II declared Saint Ann's Church a minor basilica.  A rededication took place in 1997 declaring Saint Ann's a national shrine basilica.

The media, in the eyes of the Passionists, has always been a special way to keep in touch with the faithful.  As far back as 1942, weekly radio broadcasts from Saint Ann's took place and continued through 1991.  A weekly Sunday Mass began in 1955 and was broadcast live from a chapel setting of a television studio and continued through 1991, which is when Saint Ann's Media began broadcasting the daily Mass on television and radio, both locally and nationally.  During that time in 1987, Catholic Television (CTV) of the Diocese of Scranton began its existence.  The Passionist fathers would tape the Sunday Mass and it would be aired via CTV.  This would eventually evolve into daily Masses.  Both the Sunday and Daily Masses continue their broadcasts on CTV within the Diocese of Scranton.

Seeking to meet the needs of the homebound, elderly and disabled, founder of Saint Ann's Media, Father Peter Grace, C.P., envisioned bringing a televised Mass into the homes of thousands each day.  His dedication and perseverance to continue this ministry from its early beginnings as a localized production has placed Saint Ann's Media, the producers of The Daily Mass, as one of a few nationally televised Masses in the country.  As he embarked on a new path with the Passionists in 2001 in focusing on Passionist retreats, he will forever be associated with the launch of this great ministry.

The VISN Network began airing the Sunday Mass from Saint Ann's in 1991.  The Daily Mass was added in 1994, giving Saint Ann's Media a total of six days of coast-to-coast exposure.  The network went through an evolutionary process, eventually becoming the Hallmark Channel.  The Daily Mass continued through August of 2001, while The Sunday Mass aired on Hallmark through June of 2002.  All religious programming on that network was coordinated by Faith and Values Media, an interfaith group based in New York City.

Since March of 2000, Familyland Television Network, a network based in Bloomingdale, Ohio, has carried the Mass from Saint Ann's seven days each week.  Familyland airs as part of the Sky Angel satellite system, with carriage on the DISH Network Direct Broadcast Satellite.  Familyland has recently been added to digital cable channels in Western Pennsylvania, Cleveland, Ohio, and Buffalo, New York.  In May, 2004 Familyland began to air The Daily Mass in the Philippines at 8:30 AM and 8:30PM(HKT).

In July of 2002, The Daily Mass was added to the program schedule of The Inspiration Networks, located in Charlotte, North Carolina.  The network is available throughout various cable systems throughout the United States, with a subscriber base of approximately 20 million homes.  This network consists of two networks.  Inspirational Life Television (I-Lifetv) is the network's digital cable channel, which began broadcasting The Sunday Mass at 10:00 AM (EST) in 2002 and, since May of 2004, carries The Sunday Mass from the Passionist Community of Pelham, New York.   On March 17, 2003, The Inspiration Network (INSP) began airing The Daily Mass Monday through Friday at 3:30 PM (EST), which continues through the present time.

Since December of 2003, The Daily Mass has been on the program schedule of WPPX-TV Philadelphia.  Atlanta Interfaith Broadcasters (AIB), an interfaith network in the Atlanta, Georgia television market has carried The Daily Mass since 2000.  Catholic Television (CTV), which is owned and operated by the Diocese of Scranton, carries the Mass to Northeastern and Central Pennsylvania six days a week.  Telecare in Rockville Center, New York, CTV of Scranton, and Familyland also broadcast the weekly Novena to Saint Ann.

Internet

Saint Ann's Media operates two distinct sites on the Internet.  At the web address www.theMass.com, the Mass and the weekly Novena are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year on demand.  Also at that site is an available bulletin board for the posting of messages, and various video presentations.  www.theMass.org, allows access to such things as daily scripture readings, a liturgical calendar, information on Saint Ann's Media, Basilica and Novena, and links to other Catholic Websites.  Saint Ann's Media has received correspondence from locations as far away as Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Hong Kong, the Philippines and locations throughout Europe and Canada through these sites.

Affiliations

In the past, Saint Ann's Media worked with the Catholic Communications Campaign of the United States Catholic Conference (USCC) in promoting the national broadcast of The Daily Mass.  Through a one year grant from the USCC, Bishops and Cardinals from around the country were involved as celebrants of the Mass videotaped by Saint Ann's Media.  Among those appearing as either celebrants or in some other manner were: William Cardinal Keeler of Baltimore, Adam Cardinal Maida of Detroit, Bishop Robert Morlino of Helena, Bishop Joseph Fiorenza of Galveston-Houston, Archbishop John Donoghue of Atlanta and Bishop Daniel Pilarczyk of Cincinnati.  It was through this relationship with the USCC that Saint Ann's Media became familiar to members of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Saint Ann's Media has also explored the possibilities of purchasing broadcast time in areas not receiving The Daily Mass through present national cable network affiliations.  On December 25, 2003, The Daily Mass returned to the Philadelphia television market on WPPX-TV Philadelphia (Paxson Communications) at 2:00 PM.

Saint Ann's Media has been affiliated with Faith and Values Media, which provides programming to the Hallmark Network.  Faith and Values is a service of the National Interfaith Cable Coalition, Inc (NICC).  Their 29 members represent 70 faith groups numbering 120 million members.  It is the largest coalition of Christian and Jewish faith groups dedicated to media production, distribution and promotion.

Television Production

Saint Ann's Media uses state-of-the-art digital recording equipment in all of its production.  For Masses videotaped at Saint Ann's Basilica, a total of three cameras are regularly used, with one videographer and two robotic cameras.  A director and audio technician are involved with each production.  In the case of special events at Saint Ann's (i.e. Solemn Novena, appearances of Cardinals or bishops) a third wireless camera and sometimes a fourth camera is used for more variety in the video.  Wireless microphones and headset systems are used in all of the production done by Saint Ann's Media.

On location Masses have been videotaped by Saint Ann's Media since March of 2000.  It was at that time Masses were taped in the Middle East, in conjunction with Pope John Paul II's trip to the Holy Land.  Since then, The Daily Mass has originated from such varied locations as Switzerland and Germany; Niagara Falls, New York; Greenville, North Carolina; Camden and Washington, New Jersey and Orlando, Florida.  Masses have also been taped at sites as varied as a Pennsylvania State Prison, a nursing home and a veteran's hospital.  Most recently, Masses have been broadcast from the Passionist Monastery of Saint Paul of the Cross in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Saint Ann's Monastery Chapel, Scranton, Pennsylvania.  The Masses taped on-location use a director, audio technician, professional lighting specialist and a minimum of three videographers.  The desired effect of these "mobile Masses" is to reflect the broad spectrum of U.S. Catholic worship.  Viewers have enthusiastically received them across the country.  Nearly all of the personnel employed on a full or part-time basis by Saint Ann's Media for television production purposes are experienced professionals with previous broadcast experience.

Our Future

Over the past 14 years, Saint Ann's Media has built a national reputation for the broadcast of The Daily Mass.  At the same time, a great awareness and devotion has been built among faithful viewers not only for the Mass, but also for Saint Ann's Basilica, Saint Ann's Media and the Novena to Saint Ann.  It has been our goal to provide viewers with a Mass that gives them a feeling of comfort and of being a part of a congregation (even though in most cases, the person watching is alone).  As one faithful viewer states so beautifully, "it's wonderful to see the face of a priest each day it brings so much joy to an otherwise lonely day for me since I am older and cannot leave my home, I thank you, Saint Ann's Media, for bringing the Mass into my daily life."

With each day, we continue our mission to bring the Holy Eucharist into the homes of thousands of homebound elderly and infirm individuals.  We provide a special time for solitude and prayer for Catholics, non-Catholics and many who have fallen away from God.  Our purpose is simple...bringing God to people.  As yet, another, viewers states, "I feel blessed at having the opportunity to participate in the daily TV Mass...I thank you for bringing the Mass into my home where I can celebrate spiritually with you and thousands of others!"

As an integral part of the Passionist Community, we have a rich, long history and are dedicated to continue in the path of our founder, Saint Paul of the Cross, to evangelize the word of God.  To achieve this, we rely solely on the generosity of our devoted viewers and friends in order to continue with this great ministry.  We invite you to become a partner in our mission.  Please feel free to contact us at any time with your contribution or with any questions you may have.



Saint Ann's Media * PO Box 111 * Scranton PA    18504-0111
Ph: 800-THE-MASS * Fax: 570-941-0185


Copyright © 2006. St Ann's Media. All Rights Reserved.
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