50th Anniversary of Humanae Vitae
As you probably already know, St. Michael Broadcasting returned to the air July 9 on channel 14. This changeover to a new channel has been time consuming and expensive, coming in at over $31,000 so far. We have required legal, engineering, technical and installation services. We needed to have a new channel-specific antenna built. The good news is that the channel we were assigned is the one we wanted. Our broadcast area is nearly identical to what it was when we were on channel 16, so if you were able to receive SMB on channel 16 before, you should be able to receive the SMB on channel 14 now.
If you are not receiving St. Michael Broadcasting, you most likely need to re-scan or “auto-program” your channels. Since instructions on how to do this vary by television manufacturer, it is not possible to provide universal instructions here. However, this usually involves pressing menu on your hand held remote, then pressing channels, then pressing scan or auto-program, and then pressing exit. Resources available on the internet include: TVanswers.org and fcc.gov/rescan. Also, specific directions for your brand of TV or converter box TV are usually available on the internet. If you are having difficulty, call the studio at 612 724-2265 and leave a message. We will call you back and try to help.
Now, it’s back to business. We are resuming our search for a more secure building that we can buy and focusing again on our mission to evangelize the culture.
This July 25 marked the 50th anniversary of the 1968 encyclical on the regulation of birth, titled Humanae Vitae, and our programming for August will focus on how disregard for this encyclical has damaged marriage, family and
culture. Shortly after Humane Vitae was published, many priests and bishops publicly dissented from it. Consequently, many in the laity were never taught about it, or were taught that they could “follow your conscience” and disregard it. Not surprisingly, the vast majority of lay Catholics presently disagree with Humanae Vitae. The assault on this encyclical has continued. For example, an article in the July 2018 issue of the National Catholic Reporter said that the Church’s teaching on contraception has caused “immeasurable suffering” and referred to those who agree with Humanae Vitae as “fanatics”.
Nonetheless, over these last fifty years, Pope Paul VI’s prophecy that contraception would result in a disastrous lowering of moral standards and the objectification of women has proven true. The words of Bishop Sheen come to mind: “Right is right even if nobody believes it and wrong is wrong even if everybody believes it.”
In January of this year, Cardinal Sarah, from Guinea, in west Africa, referred to the damage done by unfaithful priests: “…from the moment that Catholics abandon the teaching of Jesus and the Magisterium of the Church, they contribute to the destruction of the natural institution of marriage as well as the family, and now it is the entire human family which finds itself fractured by this betrayal on the part of priests.”
Since the truth of Humanae Vitae has not been taught by so many in the clergy, it’s all the more imperative that we in the laity act. Vatican II, in its Decree on the Apostolate of Lay People, identifies three fields of lay participation in the mission of the Church. 1) The mission of evangelization and sanctification. 2) The mission of renewing the temporal order. 3) The mission of mercy and charity. To quote: “The true apostle is on the lookout for occasions of announcing Christ by word, either to unbelievers to draw them towards the faith, or to the faithful to instruct them, strengthen them, and incite them to a more fervent life…”
This is what we are to do in our individual lives and what we are trying to do at St. Michael Broadcasting. Please support the station by telling others, by helping others re-scan their televisions if they haven’t been able to receive us, by offering to volunteer, by helping with a financial contribution, and by including the station in your prayers.
Thank you St. Clare, the patron saint of television.