THE EWTN EXPERIENCE
BROADCAST DAY
Wednesday morning, the day of the broadcast, was not only overcast, but rain poured down in deep buckets. I made it rather wet to the 7AM Holy Mass, which was so very reverent. As it was televised, the cameras located up towards the ceiling would automatically move their lenses to different positions, and that felt unusual!
Breakfast followed, with Chris, the cable mangement consultant, very congenially.
Because of the weather I returned to the house, foregoing any strolling about the campus, but I prepared some more thoughts and prayed.
The rain continued and with only one religious Habit with me I did not want to get my shoes ruined or the Habit rain-spotted so the quandary was how was I to get to lunch? It was quite a walk in the rain. Luckily I saw some employees who convinced another one to take me through the entire studio building, non-admittance areas included, so I had a mini-tour of the very professional studios as we hurried along within the building to the dining area.
Chris was there waiting and gallantly went to obtain an umbrella for me. The meals were very tasty and many dishes were Southern specialties.
As one would have it- the sun came out! So I was detemined to walk about the property- as nothing had been said of any sort of practice for the show.
I met a fine family, parents and two young boys who were daily Mass attenders and well versed in spirituality. They had read a book about our Foundress St. Jane de Chantal and remembered some incidents from her life, which gave us a common starting point for a conversation.
Being tapped on the shoulder I turned around to meet a woman who also wished to speak to me. Discovering she was personally very familiar with the Visitation Order we spent an hour sharing together. I felt I’d found a friend and support in this novel experience. She promised to return that evening for the show and even ask some questions on air!
We walked over to the gift shop and I was introduced to the shopkeeper who casually informed me that 200 million people generally watch the interview program I would be on that evening. That tidbit had the opposite of a calming effect!
I was also introduced to the wonderful staff woman who had arranged my flights. She suggested I meet with the Producer before the show but he was unavailable..So the bottom line was- no practice! I admire the deep dependence on the Holy Spirit of this tv network and their trust in their guest speakers!
I spent the rest of the afternoon with the Lord in Chapel, had supper with Fr. Mitch, the host of the show, who definitively told me there would be no notes to glance at during the interview. The Lord was in charge completely.
At 630P I walked down to the studio with as much confidence as I could muster and with my hand and heart in Our Lady’s and Our Lord’s.
A friendly studio guard met me and took me to the make up room, which was Mother Angelica’s former office. It was decorated with exquisite religious paintings and I sat adjacent to a long conference table as a postulant with the Friars applied some basic make-up.
Then it was time to go into the studio. Just prior to the show, we prayed with the entire studio audience. And then the cameras rolled! The minute they did, I became calm and really enjoyed the very conversational interview. The first half hour of the program flew by.
As we took a break- the unexpected occurred- we experienced technical difficulties. That’ s why the live portion of the program was only a half hour, but we continued taping the program, enjoyed two questions from the studio audience and a lively conversation in animated tones ensued between Father and interviewee about the Visitation charism and Order.
The Program:
http://visitationspirit.org/2012/05/ewtn-interview-of-the-visitation-order/
What a gift it was for me to proclaim my faith and vocation before an estimated audience of 200 million people!
God be praised!