Brendan O’Regan
Ryan Tubridy 
Well, who would have thought that RTÉ would move to broadcasting Mass on a daily basis, and yet, in these strange times, that’s what happened last week.
With the most unusual St Patrick’s Day in living memory I’m sure Catholics were very grateful to RTÉ for broadcasting the St Patrick’s Day Mass – slimmed down but with some beautiful music in traditional style led by Gerard Lillis.
By Thursday, daily Mass through webcam was being broadcast on RTÉ News Now every morning at 10.30am – kudos to RTÉ and Head of Religious Programmes Roger Childs for this timely initiative.
A variety of churches will be used but the first two came from St Peter and Paul’s in Clonmel, where Fr Michael Toomey made the viewers feel very much a congregation, not just a viewing audience.
Last Monday the live streaming moved to Letterkenny and Bishop Alan McGuckian, with some minimal but welcome music. After the Masses there’s a short reflection, With You in Spirit, from representatives of other faiths – on Thursday a Muslim perspective was given by Imam Dr Umar Al Qadri who was very keen to show harmony between Islamic teaching and Government guidelines, on Friday, Rev. Gillian Wharton spoke of how she saw the presence of God in all the good work, service and kindness being practiced by so many people in the current virus crisis, while last Monday there was a Hindu reflection from Swami Purnananda.
The challenges faced by priests in the crisis were highlighted on This Week (RTÉ Radio 1) last Sunday – it was pointed out that many, being older, were in the vulnerable category, and had to be creative in responding to parishioners’ need as they followed new protocols as regards Sacraments, especially the anointing of the sick. Bishop Kevin Doran saw lots of good work being done and contrasted virus and virtue, being hopeful that when the virus was gone the virtue would remain.
Positive
This new phenomenon of online Mass and prayer was discussed by Ivan Yates with guests Nick Parke from the Evangelical Alliance and Fr Tom Ryan from Ennis on the Hard Shoulder (Newstalk) last Friday evening. They were both positive and enthusiastic about the new interest in online services. Parke reckoned that people were tuning in online who might be reluctant to attend in person for now. Fr Ryan spoke of the “digital parish” and reminded us that these online services were nothing new, though understandably numbers were increasing.
Ivan Yates (Hard Shoulder, Newstalk) is one of those staying cheerful during the crisis, and that does help. Too much listening to the onslaught of bleak news can have a detrimental effect on one’s mental state, and while broadcasters have a responsibility to report what’s going on, it can be factual without being given an apocalyptic spin.
On Thursday evening’s show he interviewed author Alice Taylor who is keeping to herself for the duration and was a rock of sense with a positive but realistic outlook. She spoke of how she practised physical distancing as she continued to engage with family members.
It is a source of pride to hear of all the volunteering going on at the moment and the hugely intense service being given by front line staff in the fight against Covid-19. This was acknowledged widely, including on last Friday’s Late Late Show (RTE 1) when Ryan Tubridy gave a demonstration of coronavirus testing and interviewed some of the main leaders in this fight.
One can always find fault with Government strategies but I was impressed by the calm and rationality of Chief Medical Officer Tony Holohan, Paul Reid of the HSE and Phil Ní Sheaghdha of the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation.
I was even more proud when Sky News (Thursday night) gave positive coverage to the Irish doctors coming out of retirement or coming home to serve from faraway places. Mind you, that was also the programme that featured a special report from inside one of the hospitals under most pressure in Northern Italy. If there was any complacency creeping in, the distressing sights here would cure it.
The entertainment side of the media is important now too, to help keep people’s spirits up. And so viewers and listeners root through the more obscure corners of Netflix and the like, while families will very likely be pleased at this week’s timely launch of yet another streaming service Disney Plus. More of that anon.
Pick of the Week
FATHER SPITZER’S UNIVERSE
EWTN, Saturday, March 28, 10am and Thursday, March 26, 9.30pm
Fr Spitzer answers viewer questions on a wide range of subjects, including: reason, faith, suffering, virtue and the existence of God.
EWTN LIVE
EWTN, Wednesday (night), April 1, 1am,Thursday, April 2, 8pm, Friday, April 3, 11am
Uju Ekeocha speaks about her new book, Target Africa, and the negative impact that ideologically-driven humanitarian aid has had on African nations.
THE LEAP OF FAITH
RTÉ Radio 1, Friday, April 3, 10.05 pm
Topical religious issues with presenter Michael Comyn
