New weekly pro-life news show launches Friday

WASHINGTON — EWTN Global Catholic Network will launch a new weekly pro-life news program Friday.

The half-hour program, “EWTN Pro-Life Weekly,” a joint project of EWTN and the pro-life group Susan B. Anthony List, will focus on issues impacting human life and dignity, such as abortion and physician-assisted suicide.

The show aired a premiere episode in January in order to cover the March for Life, but its weekly debut will air March 3 at 11 p.m. EST. Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) is among the guests on Friday’s show.

Catherine Szeltner, the host of the program, told TheBlaze that “there really is no other television show like this.” She said the program “will be dedicated to giving our viewers pro-life updates” and to engaging them in the pro-life movement.

“A lot of our viewers are very motivated already, but this will show them, here’s what you can do about it,” she said.

Szeltner said that as part of a Catholic network, the show doesn’t have to be “apologetic” about its pro-life views.

“We have the freedom to say, we are pro-life, here is how you can continue to be pro-life,” Szeltner said.

She said each show will have a “call to action” that tells viewers how they can get involved in building a culture of life, which will include things like signing petitions, calling lawmakers and participating in local protests, and will be determined on the needs of that particular week.

“I think it’s empowering,” she said. “It’s simple, it’s concrete, it’s clear, so that anyone can easily be involved.”

Szeltner added that the show will seek to hold lawmakers accountable for their pro-life promises, including President Donald Trump.

“President Trump made the unprecedented move of clearly outlining pro-life promises during the campaign,” she said. “He listed specifics about what he’s going to do. So we have that list, and we can continue throughout his administration to hold him accountable. Did he follow through on what he’s doing?”

She said the show will also hold accountable members of Congress who “campaign on one thing and do another.”

“I think it’s important that viewers and voters know how they’re actually following through on that,” Szeltner said. “And I think it’s important that the congressmen and the administration know that we’re watching, that this is a priority.”

Szeltner said she hopes the show “sparks discussion” and encourages viewers to share their pro-life views.

“We have faith, science and reason on our side and we do believe we have the truth,” Szeltner added. “So we shouldn’t be afraid of speaking about it.”

Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of the Susan B. Anthony List, told TheBlaze that “we’ve been fans of EWTN for a very long time.”

“We know that the pro-life issue is central to their worldview, their concerns,” she said, noting that the network receives “tremendous” feedback from its viewers for its coverage of pro-life issues.

Dannenfelser said Susan B. Anthony List and EWTN realized “there’s really an idea for a show here.”

“But not just a show, a show that would enable a really strong impact on the outcome of policy,” she said.

She said that broadcasting the show in D.C. means having “very close access” to lawmakers in the Senate and the House, members of the media, academics and the leaders of national pro-life organizations.

“The goal is really to collapse that distance between home and the Congress and the White House,” she said.

The show will also air each week on EWTN at 10 a.m. EST on Sundays and 3 a.m. EST on Mondays.