April 6, 2018 at 1:53 p.m.
LIGHTS, CAMERA, LITURGY
St. Patrick's, Ravena, has own televised Mass
St. Patrick's parish in Ravena, which is serviced by Mid-Hudson Cable, was proactive about this problem as early as 1981. Since then, it has filmed and transmitted its 10 a.m. Sunday Mass live on that area's public access channel 11 every week.
The televised liturgy has become a crucial service for the homebound. It is viewable south of Selkirk and has been known to reach even northern parts of the Archdiocese of New York.
The program was the brainchild of Rev. Joseph Girzone, the pastor at the time.
"He was rather forward-thinking," said Bill Horton, a longtime volunteer cameraman for the ministry, "and cable TV was coming into the area. He knew they had to let us use [the public access channel]."
How it works
The logistics are simple: The parish uses an electronic access device from the cable company and wires running under the floor of the sanctuary to connect to transmission equipment in the rectory.
The latter is "just a box with a red light on it that's stuck in the wall," Mr. Horton noted.
Audio is piped through the church's public address system. Over the years, the parish has gone through about 10 home video cameras. A few dozen people have volunteered to set up the camera, hit the record button and follow the action, zooming in and out. The cable company flips a switch at 10 a.m. on Sunday to broadcast the liturgy and cuts the live feed an hour later.
There's no sign at St. Patrick's drawing attention to the camera. This only gets confusing around holidays, which attract visitors less familiar with the drill.
"Some people know," said Lori Nunziato, pastoral associate of administration and pastoral care. "Some people don't have a clue. It's a fixture."
Donors have funded replacement cameras, which used to run in the $1,100 range but now cost about $500. One donor was a breast cancer survivor who was grateful for the televised Mass when she was going through treatment.
Important ministry
"She thinks that played a big part in being successful and going into remission," Mrs. Nunziato said, adding that it's one of the most important ministries at the parish: "Those who are home and unable to get out rely and depend upon us. They live through the week to watch that on Sundays."
Mrs. Nunziato brings communion to parishioners in nursing homes, private homes and hospitals. The local hospital has a different cable provider, so patients tell her they're eager to get home to watch the Mass.
"Little things like that make your heart feel good," Mrs. Nunziato said.
Viewers call when something goes wrong with the transmission or volunteers don't show up.
"Something as simple as running a camera can make such a difference in people's lives," Mrs. Nunziato said. "It's not just a taping of the Mass. It's their way of having the Lord in their life each week."
St. Patrick's Mass separates itself from "Table of the Lord" by being live, "less staged," and available in what parish leaders call a more accessible time slot.
Viewers "don't have to get up at 5:30 or something," explained Rev. James Kane, pastor. "It's a wonderful media ministry for the homebound."
Mrs. Nunziato said the Mass feels personal to parishioners who view it, "because it's your pastor doing your Mass. It's almost as if you're sitting in your own church."
The St. Patrick's crew believes theirs is the only live Mass in the Diocese. Volunteers used to save the tapes of each Mass to fulfill requests from families who wanted to relive baptisms, First Communions or first-time lectors, but stopped about five years ago, since most people now have access to devices like smart phones to do their own recording.[[In-content Ad]]
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