ASIA/PHILIPPINES - Official launching of TV Maria in the Philippines, with its own cable channel

Manila (Agenzia Fides) - The date of baptism will be 8 December 2007, feast of the Immaculate Conception: with the inauguration by Cardinal Gaudencio Rosales, Archbishop of Manila, the Church in the Philippines will officially announce the presence of a new TV Maria which will broadcast via its own satellite channel, available to the faithful in cable TV.
The goal of the new TV channel is to spread the Word of God, said Director of the Catholic Social Communications Office, Jesuit Father James Reuter who underlined: “The media are the pulpit of the modern world, the threshold of new evangelisation. We will address everyone, young and old, rich and poor, intellectuals and people with little education; Christians, Muslims, Buddhists and atheists”.
The TV's motto, which takes inspiration from the Blessed Virgin Mary, patroness of the Philippines is “Carrying the fullness of Life”. The TV has the support of the Bishops of the Philippines and its programmes will cover the whole country using 300 local TV channels. “TV Maria will offer an alternative to the generalist and stupid entertainment which relies on sex, crime news, spectacle and fundamentalist programmes to catch an audience”, the local Church says.
The source of inspiration is Sr Angelica's Eternal World Television Network (EWTN), the most powerful Catholic network in the world which broadcasts from the United States and is relayed all over the world.
TV Maria programmes will include, “A life of love”, on bio-ethic issues and family pastoral; programmes for children and teenagers; “A Man of Light”, comment on Sunday Gospels; documentaries in collaboration with Catholic universities in the Philippines. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 26/11/2007 righe 27 parole 271)