TV Picks 02.12.12

SUNDAY, Feb. 12, 7am

Modern Marvels: The Berlin Wall

HISTORY This show tells stories of the heroic East Berliners who from 1961 to 1989 escaped to freedom, or died trying, across the Berlin Wall, which East Germany built to seal off Berlin’s Soviet sector. Communist guards killed 261 escapees before the Wall fell on Nov. 10, 1989. In 1987, President Ronald Reagan issued the ringing challenge, “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!” A re-airing. Advisory: TV-PG.

MONDAYS, 9pm

Genesis to Jesus

EWTN In this new series, Scott Hahn and co-host Robert Corzine use Hahn’s 1998 book A Father Who Keeps His Promises: God’s Covenant Love in Scripture to explain how much God loves us and how he seeks us out. Re-airings at 2am Thursdays.

MONDAY-TUESDAY, Feb. 13-14, 8pm

Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show

USA This 136th edition of the annual show in New York City’s Madison Square Garden will feature 2,000 dogs in 185 breeds and varieties, including six new breeds.

WEDNESDAY, Feb. 15, 8pm

Nature: The Himalayas

PBS The range’s majestic landscapes are home to many plants and animals, including the elusive snow leopard. A re-airing. Advisory: Scenes of predators and prey.

SATURDAY-MONDAY, Feb. 18-20, live

Consistory for the Creation of Cardinals

EWTN At 4:30am, live, on Saturday, Archbishop Timothy Dolan of New York and Archbishop Edwin O’Brien, pro-grand master of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulcher of Jerusalem, will be among the 22 cardinals whom Pope Benedict XVI will elevate (re-airing at 6pm). At 3:30am, live, on Sunday, the Pope and the new cardinals will celebrate Mass (re-airing at noon). At 5am Monday, the Holy Father will receive the new cardinals in an audience (re-airing at 6pm).

SUNDAY, Feb. 19, 8pm

The Song of Bernadette

TURNER CLASSIC MOVIES Worth watching every time is this 1943 telling of the visits of Our Lady of Lourdes to St. Bernadette in 1858. Jennifer Jones is Bernadette, and Charles Bickford is her protector, Father Peyramale. The film is based on the novel of the same name by Jewish author Franz Werfel (1890-1945), which he wrote in gratitude for shelter from the Nazis that he received in Lourdes.

WEDNESDAY, Feb. 22, live

Ash Wednesday

EWTN At 8am, live, the Franciscan Missionaries of the Eternal Word will offer Mass in Irondale, Ala. (re-airing at midnight). At 10am, live, Pope Benedict XVI will lead prayers and a procession from the Basilica of St. Anselm, celebrate Mass at the Basilica of St. Sabina, and bless and impose ashes (re-airing at 6pm).

Dan Engler writes from Santa Barbara, California.