Background Over the past 50 years, there has been an explosion in media and communications. Just look at the last 10 years with television, Internet and online communications. However, where are we as Catholics in the face of this revolution? We have some Catholic radio, Catholic magazines and some regional initiatives across the country, but no Catholic television on a national basis. And, television reaches more Canadians than any other media. With a population of 12.8 million Catholics in Canada (43.5 percent of all Canadians), representing approximately 5.2 million households, we should expect to receive our fair share of programming. When you compare the power of secular media vs that of Catholic media, you quickly realize the enormous gap between them. As Catholics in Canada, we can honestly say that we are extremely under-served. We need a Canadian Catholic television network not only to connect to whenever we want to access quality Catholic programming but also to develop: * A new tool for sharing and improving our knowledge of our faith * A platform to connect the Church to its faithful * A place of retreat and faith connection for all Catholics * A new source of Catholic content to be shared with the world Canadians will continue to watch hockey or their favourite sitcom, but they also need the opportunity to access Catholic programming that can bring them closer to their faith. “…This evangelization must be done through a thoroughly competent and professional use of radio, television and the audiovisual media. And with evangelization are necessarily linked the advancement of the whole human race, the integral development of all men and women in the world. This is a noble and deeply Christian aim, and the Pope is with you in your conviction that it can be served worthily only by a professionalism which admits of nothing carelessly prepared. This is surely demanded by the reverence due to the word of God and by the respect to which audiences are entitled.” Pope John Paul II Message to the International Catholic Association for Radio and Television October 25, 1978 Building a Catholic television network Salt and Light Catholic Media Foundation is a not-for-profit, charitable organization whose goal is to use modern media in its many forms as a tool to connect Catholics to their faith. Our first initiative was to establish a new digital television channel, Canada’s first national Catholic television Network, Salt + Light Television in July 2003. Constructing a unifying, national, Catholic Television ‘network’ is anything but easy. However, with the hand of Catholics from every generation and every background, we will continue to build a network that Canadian Catholics will be proud to call their own. Credibility + Commitment Supported and encouraged by the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) and the departments of the Vatican, Salt + Light Television is the next big thing happening to the Canadian Catholic Church after the great success of the last World Youth Day (WYD) 2002. “On behalf of the Bishops of Canada, I wish you every blessing and success as the legacy of World Youth Day 2002 is translated into a bold and welcome project of Salt + Light Television. May you and your staff receive all the support you need in this important work of evangelization and education of the Church in Canada. "I pray that God bless you as you 'set into the deep' and continue to bring the Good News to the Catholics of our country through the powerful medium of television.” Msgr. Peter Shonenbach, P.H. General Secretary Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops August 27, 2003 In addition, the former WYD 2002 CEO, Father Thomas Rosica, C.S.B. is now the CEO of Salt and Light Catholic Media Foundation. The architect of WYD in Toronto shares his vast experience and charisma with this new Catholic media foundation. Fr. Rosica envisions Salt + Light Television as “lifting off on the wings of World Youth Day 2002”, connecting Catholics across the country. To start and continue a venture like a digital television network needs committed Catholics ready to plant the seed in spiritual and financial terms. Our foundation is blessed with the support and the commitment of the Gagliano family, through St-Joseph Corporation, Canada’s largest private multimedia printing company. We need the financial and spiritual support of Catholics across the country to make this new media a sustainable organization. We ask to remember in your prayers Salt and Light Catholic Media Foundation and Salt + Light Television. “The family, founded on marriage, is a unique communion of persons which God has made the 'natural and fundamental group unit of society' (Universal Declaration of Human Rights, art. 16,3). Television and the other communications media have immense power to sustain and strengthen such communion within the family, as well as solidarity with other families and a spirit of service to society.” Pope John Paul II Message for the 28th World Communications Day January 28, 1994