How Good News gets around our Diocese

"Table of the Lord" airs every Sunday morning at 8:30 a.m. on ABC 10. The half-hour program is watched by so many people that in a recent Nielsen television ratings report, it was the number-one show in the market on Sunday mornings.

While ABC 10 gives the Diocese community service airtime for the Mass, producing it and other programs costs money. Once a year, during the annual Catholic Communication Collection, the Diocese asks for support from Catholics. This year's collection is set for June 19-20 in parishes throughout the Diocese. Half of the donations to the campaign remain in the Diocese, helping us to continue our work.

Shut-ins benefit

"It's something they still recognize. The prayers are something they never forget. It's very meaningful to them and therapeutic, too," Ms. Nearing said. "One patient knows 'Table of the Lord' but can't recognize her son."

To serve people like that, the Media Office's three full-time staff and three freelance videographers recently transformed St. John the Baptist Church in Schenectady into a TV studio. Over the course of four days, 16 Masses were taped. Margaret Tavison attended a taping with Rev. John Malecki and a busload of residents from Teresian House in Albany.

"It's interesting," she said of the experience. "I never realized how much work you folks need to do in order to get this on TV every week."

Opportunity

"Time and time again," he said, "people tell me how tremendously important 'Table of the Lord' is to them. This is an opportunity for our group today to serve the wider diocesan Church."

Later in the day, a group from St. Gabriel the Archangel parish in Rotterdam prepared for their taping. Sixteen-year-old Meghan McNamara agreed to be a reader. "It's important to participate in parish activities," she explained. "By doing this, we're making a small contribution towards spreading the Good News."

Productions

* a televised Christmas Mass and an Easter Mass.

* the issue-oriented talk show, "Catholic Charities at Work," hosted by Sister Maureen Joyce, executive director of Catholic Charities. (It airs on WTEN and Time Warner Cable). She calls the Media Office a "well-kept secret. Television is the way to communicate our message. When people see the show, they understand who we are, what we do and how we can help. Our mission is brought to light."

* "Capitol Compass," a talk show from the New York State Catholic Conference that informs voters about the Church's position on critical issues and legislation before the New York Legislature. (The program airs on WTEN and Time Warner, and is distributed to New York's eight other dioceses.)

* "The Order of Christian Funerals," a video for the Diocesan Cemetery Office. Rick Touchette, executive director, said, "We are fortunate to have professional staff and resources available to us. The Media Office produced a professional quality video that will be a great help to many people at a very difficult time in their lives." (The Cemeteries Office plans to distribute the video to funeral homes and parishes this summer. Copies will also be made available to the general public at a reasonable cost.)

The Media Office also distributes "Christophers Closeup," a weekly talk show with Rev. Tom McSweeney, to ABC 10. Millard Harmon of Delmar has watched the show faithfully for years. "I set my alarm every Sunday morning at 6:30 a.m. to make sure I don't miss Father McSweeney," he said. "I'm addicted to the interview show; he has such interesting guests."

Medium for good

Rev. Jeffrey L'Arche from Our Lady of LaSalette Shrine in Altamont, who recently volunteered for "Table of the Lord," summed it up this way: "Television is a powerful medium; it has the capability to reach a wide audience."

We hope you will support us on June 19-20 so that we can reach an even wider audience.

(Editor's note: Katherine Malle is director of the Catholic Media Office.)

(06-17-99) [[In-content Ad]]