"The Catholic Church in the United States has lost the Poor Clare nun who changed the face of Catholicism in the United States and around the world....
"'Mother Angelica succeeded at a task the nation's bishops themselves couldn't achieve,' said Archbishop Charles Chaput of Philadelphia, who has served on EWTN's board of governors since 1995. 'She founded and grew a network that appealed to everyday Catholics, understood their needs and fed their spirits. She had a lot of help, obviously, but that was part of her genius'....
"On Feb. 3, 1961, after various medical problems and potential roadblocks, Rome granted Sister Mary Angelica permission for the Alabama foundation, Our Lady of the Angels Monastery in Irondale, Ala. At the time, the Catholic population of the region was only 2 percent....
"'When Mother first had her stroke [in 2001], a lot of people said what a shame because she was a voice of the Catholic faith and for the truth,' said Mother Dolores. 'But faith tells us that all these 14 years were not wasted at all. Probably her most profound work has gone on in this time, in her silence and suffering. I believe that to be true. Our Lord gave her this time to be truly cloistered in her bed and have that time of deep prayer and intercession and suffering as an offering for the Church and for the world, for our order, for the network, for many things. And ultimately for souls. We won't know until eternity the value of these past years'....
"'In a special way, I think George Weigel's book Evangelical Catholicism summarizes what Mother Angelica was about,' Bishop Baker said. 'She not only invented that term, many years ago, but put it into practice concretely — working so beautifully off the Scriptures and bringing the truth and the love and the life of the Gospel of Jesus to so many people, not only to our Catholic household of faith, but to many thousands of people who are not Catholic, in that beautiful way she had of touching lives, bringing so many people into the Catholic household of faith'....
"'Mother Angelica succeeded at a task the nation's bishops themselves couldn't achieve,' said Archbishop Charles Chaput of Philadelphia, who has served on EWTN's board of governors since 1995. 'She founded and grew a network that appealed to everyday Catholics, understood their needs and fed their spirits. She had a lot of help, obviously, but that was part of her genius'....
"On Feb. 3, 1961, after various medical problems and potential roadblocks, Rome granted Sister Mary Angelica permission for the Alabama foundation, Our Lady of the Angels Monastery in Irondale, Ala. At the time, the Catholic population of the region was only 2 percent....
"'When Mother first had her stroke [in 2001], a lot of people said what a shame because she was a voice of the Catholic faith and for the truth,' said Mother Dolores. 'But faith tells us that all these 14 years were not wasted at all. Probably her most profound work has gone on in this time, in her silence and suffering. I believe that to be true. Our Lord gave her this time to be truly cloistered in her bed and have that time of deep prayer and intercession and suffering as an offering for the Church and for the world, for our order, for the network, for many things. And ultimately for souls. We won't know until eternity the value of these past years'....
"'In a special way, I think George Weigel's book Evangelical Catholicism summarizes what Mother Angelica was about,' Bishop Baker said. 'She not only invented that term, many years ago, but put it into practice concretely — working so beautifully off the Scriptures and bringing the truth and the love and the life of the Gospel of Jesus to so many people, not only to our Catholic household of faith, but to many thousands of people who are not Catholic, in that beautiful way she had of touching lives, bringing so many people into the Catholic household of faith'....
"'Mother Angelica has been compared to a powerful medieval abbess. But the mass-media instrument she created has extended her influence for the Gospel far beyond that of any medieval abbess, and even beyond that of many of the last century's most prominent American bishops,' said Mark Brumley, president of Ignatius Press. 'Her long-term contribution is hard to assess, of course, but there is no doubt that Mother Angelica has helped root the Church in America more deeply in the Catholic Tradition; and at the same time, she has helped make the Church more innovative in how she communicates that tradition. All Catholics in America should thank God for Mother Angelica'...
"'She was such a great support to Pope John Paul II and his successor,' added Arroyo. 'Her active ministry ran parallel to Pope John Paul II's, and she backed him up at a time when so many people were undermining Church authority, distorting the history and nature of the liturgy and popular devotion and confusing Catholic teaching. She showed that the commonsense approach of Catholics was right. She normalized the truth of the faith at a time when it was up for grabs.'
"On Feb. 12, Pope Francis sent his greetings to Mother Angelica from aboard his papal plane to Cuba. 'To Mother Angelica with my blessing, and I ask you to pray for me; I need it,' the Holy Father said. 'God bless you, Mother Angelica'....
"'Everything she did was an act of faith,' Archbishop Chaput agreed.
"'She inspired other gifted people to join her in the work without compromising her own leadership and vision,' he said. "I admired her very much, not just as a talented leader and communicator, but as a friend and great woman religious of generosity, intellect and Catholic faith.'" (http://www.ewtnnews.com/catholic-news/US.php?id=13464)
Truth in Advertising: If a hospital does not act Catholic, it should NOT be called "Catholic"
"'She was such a great support to Pope John Paul II and his successor,' added Arroyo. 'Her active ministry ran parallel to Pope John Paul II's, and she backed him up at a time when so many people were undermining Church authority, distorting the history and nature of the liturgy and popular devotion and confusing Catholic teaching. She showed that the commonsense approach of Catholics was right. She normalized the truth of the faith at a time when it was up for grabs.'
"On Feb. 12, Pope Francis sent his greetings to Mother Angelica from aboard his papal plane to Cuba. 'To Mother Angelica with my blessing, and I ask you to pray for me; I need it,' the Holy Father said. 'God bless you, Mother Angelica'....
"'Everything she did was an act of faith,' Archbishop Chaput agreed.
"'She inspired other gifted people to join her in the work without compromising her own leadership and vision,' he said. "I admired her very much, not just as a talented leader and communicator, but as a friend and great woman religious of generosity, intellect and Catholic faith.'" (http://www.ewtnnews.com/catholic-news/US.php?id=13464)
Truth in Advertising: If a hospital does not act Catholic, it should NOT be called "Catholic"
