Five Seconds to Air - Father Mark Connolly
Present-day Passionist Communications operating out of Pelham, New York was initiated through the effort of Father Mark Connolly. Ordained as Father Colman Connolly, C.P. in 1957, he later chose to be called Father Mark-his baptismal name. Assigned first to St. Ann's Monastery, Scranton, Father Connolly found quite satisfying the several opportunities he had to celebrate the live Sunday television Mass on WDAU Channel 22-a direct outgrowth of the highly successful television broadcasts of St. Ann's Novena. Subsequently, Father Connolly was pleased by the success generated by a series of Novena talks given as part of The Catholic Hour, the radio broadcast from the Archdiocese of Boston.
Correctly, in 1968, Father Connolly came to the conclusion that the time had come to investigate developing a Passionist-sponsored television Mass in the Archdiocese of New York. In December 1970 the first half-hour Sunday television Mass was broadcast on WOR-TV, Channel 9 in New York City. Originally called Values for the 70s, it became more practical to call it The Sunday Mass. From 1970 to 1985, WOR-TV carried the program. In the early years the show was taped in advance at the Channel 9 studios in the heart of Times Square, New York. Since the 1970s, Passionists who have participated in the ministry have lived in Riverdale and later Pelham Manor, New York. Offices have been located at the Cardinal Spellman Retreat and The College of Mount St. Vincent in Riverdale, New York. Present offices are in Pelham, New York.
Interestingly, the Passionist venture faced early opposition from the Archdiocese of New York Liturgical Commission who feared that somehow a televised Mass would lead to a decrease in local Sunday parish collections. Fortunately, Father Connolly assured pastors this would not be the case. Furthermore, support for The Sunday Mass from Terence Cardinal Cooke of New York was invaluable. He saw the televised mass to be a source of spiritual nourishment and grace for the many Catholics with disabilities who might be unable to attend a Sunday liturgy. To assist these viewers, in December 1972 Father Connolly wisely started to publish the TV Prayer Guide. It continues as an invaluable means of outreach.
Clemons Productions was initiated by Father Connolly in order to create a video series called That's the Spirit. In all one hundred and seven shows were produced between 1981 and 1987. Shows tended to be thematic and accentuated spiritual and social religious issues of the day. Whenever possible interviews were conducted with notable personalities such as Coretta Scott King, Governor of New York Mario Cuomo, and Mother Teresa of Calcutta.
While a complete history of New York-based Passionist television remains to be written—this includes debates among the Passionists themselves around the issues of finances and personnel—it is important to stress that there has been every effort to understand how this historic ministry begun by Father Connolly continues on today. Even St. Ann's Media, a Passionist-sponsored ministry which began in Scranton in 1991 exists as part of the present day umbrella called Passionist Communications. For more information go to www.thesundaymass.org.
Father Fidelis Rice, C.P.
Father Mark Connolly
Father George Nolan, C.P.
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