The Beautiful Stories of Catholics Who Converted Because of EWTN

On April 20, 2023 EWTN celebrates foundress Mother Angelica’s 100th birthday.

With only $200, Mother Angelica founded EWTN in 1981 after she transformed the Our Lady of the Angels Monastery garage into a television studio. She relied on God’s providence to provide.

He certainly did–and long story short, the network now reaches more than 400 million homes worldwide in many different languages.

EWTN also owns Catholic News Agency, the National Catholic Register, and ChurchPOP.

In celebration of Mother Angelica’s 100th birthday, we’ve provided three beautiful stories as to how EWTN led viewers to the Catholic Church.

Instagram user Simply By Sutton told EWTN that watching the network’s daily Mass during the COVID lockdown helped her return to the Church. She said she “found herself tearing up during the consecration.”

Both she and her husband are now practicing Catholics and they pray Father Mitch Pacwa’s Holy Land Rosary together every morning.

Here’s her story:

“I was fallen-away Catholic who had become Presbyterian, like my husband. Odd as this may sound, I have to say the Covid lockdown gets some of the credit. My husband and I began watching Daily Mass.

“It started as a way to keep some sort of schedule to those crazy days. But things started resonating with me, and I found myself tearing up during the consecration.

“Long story short, I’ve returned to the Church and my husband was confirmed at the 2022 Easter Vigil. We still tune in to Fr. Mitch’s Holy Land Rosary before he goes to work every morning. [I also] enjoy the Rosary and Devotions with the [Franciscan Missionaries] after Daily Mass.”

Instagram user and Alabama resident Michael Bird also shared his experience with EWTN.

Bird was not Catholic when he first tuned into EWTN in the 1980s. Upon realizing he lived within an hour of the Birmingham headquarters, he bought her book and learned more about her.

Within 15 years, Bird became Catholic. He and his wife now have seven children. He also prays Father Mitch Pacwa’s Holy Land Rosary every morning.

Here’s his story:

“[I pray] the Holy Land Rosary with Father Mitch every morning. But I think it was back in 1985-86, our cable company started carrying [EWTN] and I realized I only lived like an hour or so from where Mother Angelica was broadcasting.

“I bought a book at a mall bookstore and started reading about her…15 years later, I became a baptized Catholic and now have seven children in a Catholic family! So yes, EWTN changed my life and continues to inspire us!”

Facebook user Brenda Shepherd also shared her conversion story with EWTN.

Shepherd explained that she converted in 2000 after discovering more about the Catholic faith through Mother Angelica’s show. After her conversion, she saw a live taping and was “so happy to see her in person.”

The Florida native explained how she loves praying Mother Angelica’s rosary and the Divine Mercy Chaplet. She also said that as the only Catholic in her family, EWTN taught her “so much.”

Here’s her story:

“I saw [Mother Angelica’s] TV show many years ago, and I started to find out more about the Catholic faith. I converted in 2000 at Easter.

“In October of 2000, I visited with a group from here in Florida. I was so happy to see her in person when she was taping her show. I love to pray the rosary along with her video, and I also like to pray the Divine Mercy with the video on your station.

“I have learned so much from watching EWTN programs. I’m the only Catholic in the family, and I was 44 yrs old when I converted. I’m so grateful to EWTN, and especially Mother Angelica.”

These stories are only a small snippet of the impact EWTN makes on people every day.