New time, channel set for TV Masses

"Table of the Lord," the televised Mass for homebound Catholics, has found a new television home -- and an improved broadcast schedule.

The Sunday Mass will air over WXXA-TV, Fox 23, at 6:30 a.m., starting Jan. 2.

In addition, Time Warner, the largest cable TV provider in the Capital Region, will rebroadcast the Mass on cable access channel TW-3 each Sunday at 9 a.m., also beginning on Jan. 2.

For more than 35 years, the Mass was televised on WTEN-TV, channel 10 in Albany. Due to recent ABC network scheduling requirements, WTEN was forced to reschedule "Table of the Lord" from 8:30 a.m. on Sundays to 5 a.m.

"That new schedule turned out to be not very convenient for many of our viewers," said Rev. Kenneth Doyle, chancellor for public information for the Albany Diocese. "As a result, we made a strong effort to find a new home for 'Table of the Lord' that would allow for a schedule that better met the needs of the thousands of our homebound parishioners who continue to depend so much on this televised Mass."

Bishop Howard J. Hubbard said, "We are extremely grateful for the many years of generous service provided to the Diocese and its homebound parishioners by WTEN for both producing and airing 'Table of the Lord.' We look forward to a similar relationship with Fox 23 and Time Warner."

(Every week, the calendar page in The Evangelist lists the Mass and its celebrant. See page 17.)

(12/16/04)