Catholics! The Vatican! Pope! Where, oh where can the secular media find some useful and accurate information about these strange and mysterious things? Normally, reporters will flip through their rolodexes straight to a reliable source like this guy
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Or they consult with a panel of experts like these
or, if they need clarity on some heavy doctrinal issues, they consult with someone like this
or, if they're just looking for the word on the street from your average well-catechised Catholic layman, they'll seek out this fellow
But there's been an alarming trend in the last few weeks. The secular, mainstream media is getting their information from . . . wait for it . . . actual Catholics. Like, people who know things, and aren't in flagrant dissent, and can talk about doctrine without drooling on their shirtfronts. Check it out:
NBC News has hired Fr. Robert Barron for on-air commentary about the papal election.
NPR regularly consults with Rocco Palmo, and they had Brandon Vogt on the air yesterday.
And Princeton's Robert P. George was on NPR's On Point this morning .
Oh, it's just a drop in the bucket, of course. Even atheists have noticed that the secular media has no problem lying through their teeth when it comes to the Church, (h/t Mark Shea) and there's no way that's going to change.
But a drop is better than nothing! People do listen to the news, and it's tremendously encouraging to know that intelligent, articulate, well-informed, and engaging Catholics are getting some air time. So don't be discouraged. The truth will never be quenched entirely. The Church has so many valiant soldiers who are ready for battle.
Have you been following the secular media's coverage of Catholic news? Who would you like to see in front of the camera?
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Simcha,
You’d probably be an ideal pick.
I agree with Kathleen…Simcha, be waiting for a call…and it will probably be from Fox News
Oh please! Thanks for the compliment, but from your lips to no one’s ears.
Well, I do notice these are all men, which I have no trouble with, but gives ammo to the “the Church is all about men controlling women” morons. So: Mary Ann Glendon, Helen Alvare, Lisa Hendey.
Yes, you Simcha! Also Jen Fulweiler, Elizabeth Scalia, and Jeff Miller. MSM disgust goes to Yahoo “News” - Andrew Sullivan is not a leading Catholic blogger! Eeesh. And don’t get me started on Gawker. Not even providing a link.
Oh my gosh, I just wrote that as my facebook status. How refreshing to hear/see/ coverage that is actual true to our faith. Awesome. Holy Spirit much? Yup!
1 word: ratings.
From her lips to everyone’s ears, Simcha! That’d probably be the only way I’d follow the secular media’s coverage of Catholic news, because as of right now, I don’t do that at all.
Definitely Jennifer Fulwiler. Mary Ann Glendon as well. Deacon Harold Burke-Sivers!
Simcha,
I heard you on the radio & you did a great job.Seriously.
I listen to Catholic Radio & while I agree with the hosts, they often sound like they’re “straining gnats.” To non-Catholics it can sound rigid & uninviting. You didn’t sound that way.
I agree with you, Kathleen
I don’t know. Call me crazy, but I’d kind of like to see more of Fr. Guido Sarducci these days. From what I recall, he was pretty funny.
No. I have not been following the secular media much up to this time. Thanks to your link to Fr. Barron this will be a good time for me to start in earnest. Also I am not into placing bets on who the next pope will be though to some that is tantalizing.
We ought to be grateful for any positive comments on commercial TV. fr Guido was humourous but speaking for the Church seriously was not his schtick.
I think you should follow ChurchMilitant.tv with the Vortex on their site or Youtube, and the Church Mic’ed up program on BlogTalkRadio.
Sometimes I can’t stomach the secular media AT ALL. If I do, I watch the BBC. This morning, it was EWTN to see our dear pope off (sniffle). How great that they are interviewing some reliable sources here and there. Maybe even the secular media gets sick of the bad taste they usually leave in everybody’s mouths.
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Simcha has my vote too. We can rely on her not to be pert and glossy.
oops,—how great that the *secular* media is interviewing reliable sources here and there
I was surprised at how respectful this “Behind the Scenes at the Vatican” interview was yesterday on NPR’s Fresh Air. http://www.npr.org/2013/02/27/172986758/behind-the-scenes-at-the-vatican-the-politics-of-picking-a-new-pope
I was expecting the worst. I did miss the first 5-7 minutes. I’d be interested in other people’s thoughts on it.
I’d be thrilled with Somechop Fisher. She is the real thing.
I added comments about the main subject, how masturbation in the 1940s-50s in recent decades and abortion and same gender unions for decades always overshadowed the GOSPEL of LOVE at the expense of LOVE and Jesus’ emphasis on that over the narrower sex agenda that overshadowed the total message in the total Gospel of social justice from womb to tomb.
Not that they would necessarily agree to appear on the secular media, but Scott Hahn or Jimmy Akin would be stellar choices.
Combining Jason’s comment with everyone else’s, I think Simcha should be a conclave correspondent for ChurchMilitant.tv. Just imagine:
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Simcha (with mic in hand, standing in St. Peter’s Square): ...so it looks like the cardinals have their work cut out for them. This has been Simcha Fisher, live from the Vatican. Back to you, Michael.
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Voris: Thanks, Sum-chah. Great reporting despite the pants. [turns to co-anchor, quizzically shaking head] Seriously, I don’t know how she does it.
Scott Hahn is an excellent Bible scholar, do not know about Mr Akin’s expertise but the Catholic Church needs some public figure to oppose the Bus Nuns, Madonna and S Sarandon and media pundits who have driven the abuse scandal into the lower regions.
Ugh - seeing Cutié‘s photo still makes my stomach turn. He baptized my daughter at St. Patrick’s Church in Miami Beach in 2005. I console myself with my mother’s reminder to give thanks that the validity of the sacrament does not depend on him.
As for the secular media, in my opinion they are “the devils useful idiots” Defination- “Useful idiots” people who work as propagandists for goals they do not understand, and who are used cynically by the leaders of the cause.
I pay them no mnd as they make me sick to my stomach.
They have lots of time to call “experts” for covering the Pope but the recent installment of the Archbishop of Canterbury gets a yawn.
I’m surprised that the MSM hasn’t interviewed Pope Michael I as a source for all things Catholic… :)
@Elisa—That’s because there hasn’t been an interesting Archbishop of Canterbury since Thomas Becket… :)
I wouldn’t mind seeing Fr. Chad Ripperger and Fr. Isaac Mary Relyea talk to Joy Behar or Rachel Maddow.
Weeeell…......... Some TV stations did inteviews with Hans Kung too, who inspite of saying we should move forward, he’s repeating always the same things (often incorrect and outdated) like a broken record…
Since he also claims to be a friend of Ratzinger - Benedict XVI, when I see him I think of the saying: ‘when you got friends like that who needs enemies’
But… yeah I was watching CNN today and… the coverage was actually pretty decent (it had some tipical ‘secular media moments’, but they were contained).... although they seemed more interested on how pretty Castel Gandolfo is than the Pope himself.
I suppose they are just giving him a ‘goodbye’ and a ‘thanks for letting us make loads of money and forward our modernist propaganda by distorting everything you said’ :D
Without a tv, my main source of news is NPR and the occasional New York Times, which my husband insists on taking in subscription. SO, despite NPR’s usual good work, I am sad at the reports by Sylvia Poggioli. This morning I actually called her a mean name, uttered at my radio.
No good news and good commentators for me, it seems.
How do we expect the secular media to explain something they don’t understand and are not willing to learn about. All just a lot of hot air out there and the agnostic, dissenting, athiestic public who only want to continue to bash the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. The Church does not belong to the cardinals in the conclave. The Church belongs to Jesus Christ. Let us get THAT message across to the secular media and perhaps they will stop pushing their microphones into the faces of the agnostic, dissenting and atheistic “representatives” and start looking UP.
Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Thy faithful and help us to bring Jesus to the world. Amen.
We may be hundred percent right and correct. But it should appear so for others also. How the picture of a priest with two women ...one scantly clad came to be published ? It may be his mother and sister but that fact will be hidden by some media.
Julia: I know the article you speak of. It probably wouldn’t have come through Yahoo if it hadn’t first come through Business Insider. Their editorial policy is essentially “We vet nothing, you’re on your own, kid,” but the guy who posted it has an e-mail. I do not think he has an axe to grind, unlike Sullivan. Perhaps if he hears from enough people (especially if they’re impeccably calm and reasonable, which I know is difficult when we’re all emotional) he will change his mind about having it up.
It’s not the secular media (i.e. CNN) that worries me, it’s so-called hate spewing atheists that is troublesome. Sometimes the average person is worse.
Local secular media in Boston,
“Bernie McDaid, a clergy sex abuse victim from Peabody, was one of the few victims to meet with Pope Benedict XVI. He believes the crisis played a huge role in the pope’s decision.
“Change is here, folks, whether you like it or not. It’s here,” McDaid said.
Now, McDaid is looking past his differences with O’Malley, saying the cardinal understands the gravity of sexual abuse and has truly listened to the victims.”
http://www.wcvb.com/news/local/Clergy-sex-abuse-victims-say-O-Malley-should-be-next-pope/-/9848876/19125646/-/dp5mvoz/-/index.html
I am still waiting for anyone at NC Register to
answer these questions: why have no cover-up Cardinals been removed by Rome, how come the rhythm method works so
well for most Catholics, how can JPII be a saint when he ignored information about the lewd, lascivious founder of the Legionnaries? Just pap from this paper, won’t waste any more time here.
Great point by Frankie above. A tad worried about Fr. Barron on NBC - not quite sure Simcha if the overall point you were making is that Catholics in pope election coverage is good or bad. Great article by atheist in the Telegraph. I mean anytime the media except Fox News or EWTN does a story on Catholicism, it’s not meant to be flattering. Praying with both hands…
*****First, as to media. The HUMANS in the media are like I am, grace and sin, and depending on their God and His integrity or their gods of power, lies, axe-grinding, Pulitzer prize ambitions or driven by their owners’ or publishers’ agenda, they have absolute or no integrity.**** As close as +Ratzinger was to JP11 who was very ill for years, it would seem that it was only when he stepped up from CDF head in charge of the abuse scandal, we can only guess with no certainty, that JP11 who did not tolerate abuse, let the next Pope take care of it, which happened to be BXV1 who did immediately, There is absolutely no evidence that JP11 was aware of the depth of Marcel’s depravity, so was it kept from him or was it only known enough in a canonical process to have him sent to a monastery for prayer and repentance. *** There is no clear evidence of any cardinal having direct knowledge and engaged in cover-up, they all had large archdioceses and delegate matters to vicars, usually auxiliary bishops. The final blame is theirs as it is in political circles also, regardless of who fell asleep at the switch****Catholic medical practice has gone way beyond “rhythm” to Natural Family Planning, a deep study of an obvious fact of nature: the female body is designed by God to signal when she is fertile or not, a system able to be understood by illiterate women as medical nuns testify. Do Catholic clergy and people accept and believe, well, ask how they exercise, eat regularly and handle alcohol. how well do they study their faith and morals, and how much has the Dragon’s evil got into their minds and souls?
propaganda campaigns havent changed, whether it be exaggerating and distorting the facts about the Spanish Inquisition, the Crusades, or the clergy abuse crisis… there is a deeper ajenda behind the surface attacks and that isnt gonna change any time soon, since the message of the Church concerning God is at odds with the secular world and their pursuit of a world with no God. Satan must be proud of his minions.
LoneThinker: bless you for trying. I have to imagine it’s difficult for people to listen with their fingers in their ears.
Without a doubt; Karl Keating the head of Catholic Answers. The best apologist I have ever seen or heard.
Allen Ward OFS
I was shocked that CNN was talking to Raymond Arroyo, who is an orthodox Catholic. The host, Erin Burnett, however, was less than gracious and more than a bit biased against the church. Apparently Burnett is a former Catholic doing her part to persecute the church in the media. But wow, to actually give a voice to actual Catholics. Amazing…
I would like to hear Sheila Laugminus (from Relevant Radio) Fr Francis Hoffman, Msgr Swetland, Patrick Coffin, Patrick Madrid, Tim Staples, Prof Janet Smith, just a few ideas
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