Has Mother Angelica blessed your life in some way?
Father Edward Looney, the pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in Shawano, Wisconsin, published a moving story about EWTN foundress Mother Angelica on Instagram.
Looney, who has appeared on EWTN and written for EWTN News, said he recently distributed Last Rites for a dying person. Upon entering their home, he said Mother Angelica was on the individual’s television.
The parish pastor then further explained how much “Mother Angelica helped many on their journey to God.”
Father Looney’s full post reads,
“I recently stopped to give Last Rites to somebody, and found Mother Angelica on the tv. Throughout her life, Mother Angelica helped many on their journey to God, hopefully she greets them all when they arrive in Heaven (after a time of purification).”
The priest spoke exclusively to ChurchPOP about this experience of distributing Last Rites to this dying person.
“The first thing I noticed was that it was Mother Angelica who was on the TV. This was a person near death … and there was something comforting in the fact that they were listening to her speak about heaven, the Lord, and the Church.”
“Someone had to have the wherewithal to say, ‘This person would want Catholic programming,’” Father Looney continued.
“They could have put on anything…but instead, they chose something that reflected her faith. It amplified the fact that she was a devout person.”
He then stressed how much he believes EWTN programming makes a difference in the lives of Catholics, most especially the homebound and dying.
“I hear all the time from people I visit that they turn on EWTN daily. They watch the Mass, they pray the rosary. It’s a way they can stay rooted in their faith,” he said.
“As a pastor, I can’t bring Communion every day or celebrate Mass every day for the homebound. But at least through EWTN, they’re able to make a spiritual communion, hear the readings, and practice their faith. The television brings it to them.”
EWTN recently celebrated the 44th anniversary of Mother Angelica founding the network in 1981 from a garage studio. The network now reaches millions of homes in over 100 countries. It is the biggest Catholic network in the world.