The CatholicTV Network, commonly known as CatholicTV, is a

Catholic The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

television network A television network or television broadcaster is a telecommunications network for distribution of television program content, where a central operation provides programming to many television stations or pay television providers. Until the mid- ...

based in

Watertown, Massachusetts Watertown is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, and is part of Greater Boston. The population was 35,329 in the 2020 census. Its neighborhoods include Bemis, Coolidge Square, East Watertown, Watertown Square, and the West End. Waterto ...

. CatholicTV first launched locally in Boston in 1955, making it the oldest Catholic television network in the United States. Today, it is distributed on

cable television Cable television is a system of delivering television programming to consumers via radio frequency (RF) signals transmitted through coaxial cables, or in more recent systems, light pulses through fibre-optic cables. This contrasts with bro ...

systems,

internet television Streaming television is the digital distribution of television content, such as TV shows, as streaming media delivered over the Internet. Streaming television stands in contrast to dedicated terrestrial television delivered by over-the-air a ...

, and broadcast stations in sixteen U.S. states and the U.S. Virgin Islands and now Worldwide. CatholicTV broadcasts programming relevant to Catholic viewers, including live religious services,

talk show A talk show (or chat show in British English) is a television programming or radio programming genre structured around the act of spontaneous conversation.Bernard M. Timberg, Robert J. Erler'' (2010Television Talk: A History of the TV Talk Sh ...

s, devotional programs, educational series, entertainment, and children's programs. The network regularly presents coverage of liturgies and special events at the

Vatican Vatican may refer to: Vatican City, the city-state ruled by the pope in Rome, including St. Peter's Basilica, Sistine Chapel, Vatican Museum The Holy See * The Holy See, the governing body of the Catholic Church and sovereign entity recognized ...

and during papal journeys. As of 2016, the president of the CatholicTV Network is Bishop Robert P. Reed.

History

The first program of the Catholic Television Center of the Archdiocese of Boston was produced on the morning of January 1, 1955 when Archbishop Richard J. Cushing celebrated a Pontifical

Low Mass Low Mass (Latin ''Missa lecta'', "read Mass") is a Tridentine Mass defined officially in the Code of Rubrics included in the 1962 edition of the Roman Missal as a Mass in which the priest does not chant the parts that the rubrics assign to him. A ...

in studios at 25 Granby Street near

Kenmore Square Kenmore Square is a square in Boston, Massachusetts, United States, consisting of the intersection of several main avenues (including Beacon Street and Commonwealth Avenue) as well as several other cross streets, and Kenmore station, an MBTA ...

in Boston. From that studio, equipped with three RCA TK31 cameras, the Center produced live and tape-recorded programs, and it purchased time from local commercial television stations to air the Sunday Mass each week. Live programs were transmitted to the broadcasting stations through a leased-line telephone connection. In 1961 the Catholic Television Center's studios became the temporary home of educational broadcaster

WGBH-TV WGBH-TV (channel 2), branded on-air as GBH or GBH 2 since 2020, is the primary PBS member television station in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. It is the flagship property of the WGBH Educational Foundation, which also owns Boston's se ...

when that station's studios were destroyed in a fire. In 1957 the Catholic Television Center acquired a license to operate its own broadcasting station in Boston on channel 38 in the new UHF range of television channels. The Center's station, WIHS-TV, went into service on October 12, 1964, with transmitting facilities on the

Prudential Tower The Prudential Tower, also known as the Prudential Building or, colloquially, The Pru,subscription required'The Pru' everyone calls it: a resigned shrug of a name, as flat and uninflected as the wan moue its pronunciation requires." is an Inter ...

in Boston. It was the first full-time Catholic television station in the world employing a general entertainment format along with the daily and Sunday Mass. On July 27, 1966,

Storer Broadcasting Storer Broadcasting, Inc. was an American company which owned several television and radio stations in the Northeastern United States. It was incorporated in Ohio 1927, and was broken up in 1986. History 1920s–1940s In 1927, George B. Storer ...

acquired WIHS for $2,276,513.16 and renamed it as

WSBK-TV WSBK-TV (channel 38) is an independent television station in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. It is owned by the CBS News and Stations group alongside CBS owned-and-operated station WBZ-TV (channel 4). Both stations share studios on So ...

. With funds from the station sale, the Catholic Television Center built an

Instructional Television Fixed Service The Educational Broadband Service (EBS) was formerly known as the Instructional Television Fixed Service (ITFS). ITFS was a band of twenty (20) microwave TV channels available to be licensed by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to ...

(ITFS) system for distributing programs to Catholic schools, and it continued to produce live broadcasts of the Sunday Mass under the name ''Boston Catholic Television (BCTV)''. In 1970 BCTV moved into leased studios at 55 Chapel Street in

Newton, Massachusetts Newton is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. It is approximately west of downtown Boston. Newton resembles a patchwork of thirteen villages, without a city center. According to the 2020 U.S. Census, the population of Ne ...

. In April 1983 BCTV began offering programs to home viewers several hours a day through its own channel carried by

providers, at first in Massachusetts, then elsewhere in New England, and also as far away as

Montreal Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the second-most populous city in Canada and most populous city in the Canadian province of Quebec. Founded in 1642 as '' Ville-Marie'', or "City of Mary", it is named after Mount Royal, the triple ...

, Quebec. In addition to the Sunday Mass broadcast on conventional (over-the-air) television, weekday Masses were also presented Monday to Friday, originating from a chapel in the Archbishop's residence in Brighton. In 2006 the channel adopted the brand name ''CatholicTV'' and the slogan ''America's Catholic Television Network''. By 2007 it had entered into a programming exchange agreement with the Canadian channel

Salt + Light Television Salt + Light Television is a Canadian multi-lingual Category B television channel owned by the not-for-profit Salt and Light Catholic Media Foundation and based in Toronto, Ontario. The channel broadcasts faith-based programming for Roman Cath ...

. The channel converted its video format to

HDTV High-definition television (HD or HDTV) describes a television system which provides a substantially higher image resolution than the previous generation of technologies. The term has been used since 1936; in more recent times, it refers to the g ...

on October 13, 2010. The CatholicTV Network relocated its studios and offices to

, in 2007.

Distribution

CatholicTV programming is seen on cable systems in Massachusetts, California, Hawaii, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. It is broadcast in Fresno, California on KNXT, channel 50 and in Hawaii on KUPU, channel 15. CatholicTV is available to

satellite television Satellite television is a service that delivers television programming to viewers by relaying it from a communications satellite orbiting the Earth directly to the viewer's location. The signals are received via an outdoor parabolic antenna comm ...

viewers via the digital C band satellite

AMC-11 AMC-11 , previously GE-11, is an American geostationary communications satellite which is operated by SES S.A. It is currently positioned in geostationary orbit at a longitude of 131° West, from where it is used to relay cable television acro ...

. Internet users can view the channel through the web site catholictv.com, or with applications for

iOS iOS (formerly iPhone OS) is a mobile operating system created and developed by Apple Inc. exclusively for its hardware. It is the operating system that powers many of the company's mobile devices, including the iPhone; the term also include ...

or Android mobile devices. Internet video is also available through the streaming media devices

Roku Roku ( ) is a brand of hardware digital media players manufactured by American company Roku, Inc. They offer access to streaming media content from online services. The first Roku model, developed in collaboration with Netflix, was introduced ...

, Google TV, and Apple TV. Select programs are available for download at iTunes. Video-on-demand service is available on Roku and Apple TV (nationally) and Verizon FiOS in most markets.

Programming

The network features a variety of Catholic educational and inspirational programming produced in the United States, Canada, Ireland and Vatican City. These include talk shows such a
"This is the Day"
devotional programs such as the Holy Rosary, the

Chaplet of the Divine Mercy The Chaplet of the Divine Mercy, also called the Divine Mercy Chaplet, is a Christian devotion to the Divine Mercy, based on the Christological apparitions of Jesus reported by Faustina Kowalska (1905–1938), known as "the Apostle of Mercy." ...

and

Benediction A benediction ( Latin: ''bene'', well + ''dicere'', to speak) is a short invocation for divine help, blessing and guidance, usually at the end of worship service. It can also refer to a specific Christian religious service including the exposit ...

, catechetical programs, musical shows, entertainment and variety shows, and youth programs such as the quiz show WOW. The network presents Sunday Masses from the National Shrine in

Washington Washington commonly refers to: * Washington (state), United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A metonym for the federal government of the United States ** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered o ...

, the Basilica at Notre Dame, the cathedral in

San Antonio ("Cradle of Freedom") , image_map = , mapsize = 220px , map_caption = Interactive map of San Antonio , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = United States , subdivision_type1= State , subdivision_name1 = Texas , subdivision_t ...

, and the network's own chapel. In addition, CatholicTV present
weekday and Saturday Masses
from the chapel. CatholicTV often broadcasts live coverage of the ordinations and installations of newly appointed diocesan bishops, and presents programming from the

Vatican Television Center Vatican Media, formerly Centro Televisivo Vaticano, is the Holy See's national broadcaster based in Vatican City which first aired in 1983. History of the channel Created in 1983 by Pope John Paul II, Vatican Media is, since November 1996, an in ...

, including coverage of the journeys of

Pope Francis Pope Francis ( la, Franciscus; it, Francesco; es, link=, Francisco; born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, 17 December 1936) is the head of the Catholic Church. He has been the bishop of Rome and sovereign of the Vatican City State since 13 March 2013. ...

. A partial listing of CatholicTV programs:

Religious services and devotional programs

*''Saturday Vigil Mass from the

Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception is a large minor Catholic basilica and national shrine in the United States in Washington, D.C., located at 400 Michigan Avenue Northeast, adjacent to Catholic University. ...

'' *
Sunday Mass Live from the Basilica of the Sacred Heart at Notre Dame
'' *''

'' *''Perpetual Help Novena from the

Basilica and Shrine of Our Lady of Perpetual Help The Basilica and Shrine of Our Lady of Perpetual Help is a Roman Catholic basilica in the Mission Hill neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, sometimes known as "The Mission Church". The Redemptorists of the Baltimore Province have ministered t ...

'' *
The Holy Rosary
' *''The Stations of the Cross'' *''The Angelus''

Spanish-language programs

*''Perpetual Help Novena'' from the

*''Sunday Mass from the CatholicTV Chapel'' *''Sunday Mass'' from San Fernando Cathedral in

(bilingual) *''Cristo Para Todos'' *''Cambio de Agujas'' *''Dios Nunca Duerme'' *''Donde Dios Llora'' produced by

Aid to the Church in Need In international relations, aid (also known as international aid, overseas aid, foreign aid, economic aid or foreign assistance) is – from the perspective of governments – a voluntary transfer of resources from one country to another. Ai ...

Programs for youth

*''Adventures of Donkey Ollie'' *''Adventures in Odyssey'' *''Ascension Cafe'' *''

Bugtime Adventures ''Bugtime Adventures'' is an American children's animated series that began airing in 2003. 13 episodes were produced, to air on Christian TV stations like TBN. The entire series is also available on DVD. Synopsis ''Bugtime Adventures'' interlea ...

'' *''Dr. Wonders Workshop'' *''Fred and Susie'' *''Kid's Saints and Heroes'' *''Real Faith TV'' (teen catechism, from the Diocese of Trenton) *'' WOW: The CatholicTV Challenge''

Music

*''The Joy of Music'' (organist

Diane Bish Diane Joyce Bish (born May 25, 1941) is an American organist, composer, conductor (music), conductor, as well as executive producer and host of ''The Joy of Music'' television series. As a concert organist, she performs at concerts throughout Nort ...

) *''Revolution'' (Christian music videos and artist interviews) *''Going My Way'' (with Father Chris Hickey and Father Paul Rouse)

Vatican Television Center programs

*''Vatican Magazine'' *''The General Papal Audience''

History and biography

*''Catholic Saints and Lay People'' (biography) *''Church History'' (Prof. Ann Orlando) *''The Little Flower'' *''100 Years of Father Peyton'' *''Roots of Faith'' (history of the Church in Louisiana)

Scripture

*''Experiencing Paul, Experiencing God'' (Prof. John Clabeaux) *''The Gospel of Matthew'' (Prof. John Clabeaux) *''Looking at the Hebrew Scriptures'' (Rabbi Samuel Chiel) *''Mark the Perilous Journey'' (Prof. Clabeaux) *''The New and Eternal Word'' (Msgr. James Moroney) *''Sacred Time'' ( Bishop Christopher Coyne) *''The Word Exposed'' ( Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle)

Other programs

*''BLINK'' (magazine show) *''Body Matters'' (medical ethics and life issues) *''The Call'' (vocations to religious life and the priesthood) *''Catholic Corner'' (from Princeton, New Jersey) *''Catholic Destinations'' (travel) *''Catholic Focus'' (current affairs) *''Catholicism with Father

Robert Barron Robert Emmet Barron (born November 19, 1959) is an American prelate of the Catholic Church who has served as bishop of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester since 2022. He is the founder of the Catholic ministerial organization Word on Fire, and ...

'' *''Catholics Matter'' (from Phoenix, Arizona) *''CatholicTV Presents'' (specials) *''The Choices We Face'' (Catholic evangelist Ralph Martin) *''ClearVoice'' (weekly magazine with John Monahan and Christine Caswell) *''A Closer Walk'' (Fr. Jeff Bayhi) *''Conversations with Cardinal Seán'' *''Day of Discovery'' (RBC Ministries) *''Defenders of the Faith'' (Steve Ray) *''Discernment of Spirits'' (Fr. Timothy Gallagher, on

Ignatian Ignatius of Loyola, S.J. (born Íñigo López de Oñaz y Loyola; eu, Ignazio Loiolakoa; es, Ignacio de Loyola; la, Ignatius de Loyola; – 31 July 1556), venerated as Saint Ignatius of Loyola, was a Spanish Catholic priest and theologian, ...

spiritual teaching) *''Facing Life Head-On'' (life issues) *''Faith Café'' (Evangelization) *''Feed My Sheep'' *''Focus'' (Abp.

Philip Hannan Philip Matthew Hannan (May 20, 1913 – September 29, 2011) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Washington from 1956 to 1965 and as the eleventh archbishop of the Archdi ...

) *''From the Chair'' (conversations with Catholic bishops) *''The Future Depends on Love'' *''The Gist'' (exclusively for women) *''Going My Way'' (talk show) *''Good News with Monsignor Jim Vlaun'' *''Hope on Campus'' (campus ministry with the

Brotherhood of Hope The Brotherhood of Hope (abbreviated B.H.) is an association of the faithful in the Catholic Church, composed primarily of religious brothers who serve in college campus ministry. Early history The association was founded in 1980 in Newark, New ...

) *''House+Home'' (family life) *''Images of Jesus'' *''In & Out'' (the work of Catholic missionaries) *''Issues and Faith'' (religious news, from the

Archdiocese of New Orleans The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New Orleans ( la, Archidioecesis Novae Aureliae, french: Archidiocèse de la Nouvelle-Orléans, es, Arquidiócesis de Nueva Orleans) is an ecclesiastical division of the Roman Catholic Church spanning Jefferso ...

) *''Listen Up'' (news and current events) *''Matters of Faith'' (from the Diocese of Buffalo) *''Mothering Full of Grace'' *''Nineveh’s Crossing'' *''One Billion Stories'' (Seth DeMoor) *''Our Daily Bread with Father Paul Seil'' *''parishFAMILY'' (parish life and ministry) *''Real to Reel'' (magazine program, from the Diocese of Springfield, Massachusetts) *''Sacred Time'' ( Bishop Christopher Coyne) *''School of Faith'' (Frank DeVito) *''7th Street Theatre'' (Drama meets Christianity) *''SpotLight'' (movie reviews) *''This is the Day'' (talk show) *''Travel and Traditions'' (Burt Wolf) *''The Way of Beauty'' (artist David Clayton) *''We’ve Got to Talk'' (Fr. Daniel O'Connell) *''Where God Weeps'' (

) *''Witness with Father

Thomas Rosica Thomas Michael Rosica, C.S.B., (born March 3, 1959) in Rochester, New York, is a Roman Catholic priest and a Basilian Father. He is an author, speaker, and commentator. He was formerly Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Salt and Light Catholi ...

'' *''Woman at the Heart of the Church'' *''Women in God’s Spirit (WINGS)'' *''Word For Word'' *''The Word Exposed with Cardinal

Luis Antonio Tagle Luis Antonio Gokim Tagle ( ; ; born June 21, 1957) is a Filipino prelate of the Catholic Church currently serving as the Pro-Prefect for the Section of Evangelization of Dicastery for Evangelization (formerly the Congregation for the Evangel ...

'' *''The Word in the World with Father Michael Manning'' *''Word on Fire with Bishop

Short features

The network also presents short television features on general Christian themes and

public service announcement A public service announcement (PSA) is a message in the public interest disseminated by the media without charge to raise public awareness and change behavior. In the UK, they are generally called a public information film (PIF); in Hong Kong, ...

s from the

Ad Council The Advertising Council, commonly known as the Ad Council, is an American nonprofit organization that produces, distributes, and promotes public service announcements on behalf of various sponsors, including nonprofit organizations, non-governme ...

and other providers related to Catholic social teaching and issues such as family life, health, education, community, and the well-being of children.

Patron saint

Saint

Thérèse of Lisieux Thérèse of Lisieux (french: Thérèse de Lisieux ), born Marie Françoise-Thérèse Martin (2 January 1873 – 30 September 1897), also known as Saint Therese of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face (), was a French Catholic Discalced Carmelit ...

is the

patroness Patronage is the support, encouragement, privilege, or financial aid that an organization or individual bestows on another. In the history of art, arts patronage refers to the support that kings, popes, and the wealthy have provided to artists su ...

of CatholicTV.

References

External links

CatholicTV - Official WebsiteOnline community siteFacebook pageCatholicTV YouTube ChannelOfficial weblogCatholicTV iPhone AppThe CatholicTV Monthly Magazine
{{DEFAULTSORT:Catholictv Catholic television networks Catholic television channels Television networks in the United States Television stations in Massachusetts English-language television stations in the United States Television channels and stations established in 1955 1955 establishments in Massachusetts