Rose Altemare may be elderly but she’s not afraid of change.  So when her family bought her a computer tablet, she quickly learned a new way to take part in the daily Masses from Saint Paul Cathedral and Saint Mary of Mercy Church.

Once shown only on Comcast channel 95 in the City of Pittsburgh, Masses are now live-streamed on Christian AssociatesTV.org, thanks to sacrificial gifts to Our Campaign for The Church Alive! from the late Rita M. McGinley and Ann & Frank V. Cahouet Foundation.

A supporter of the campaign, Rose is using the new technology to stay connected to Christ.

Rose and her husband Kenneth raised their two sons at Saint Elizabeth of Hungary Parish in Pleasant Hills. After retirement she often attended daily Mass. When it became more difficult to get around she watched on cable television.

Kenneth passed away in 2007. Last year Rose moved to the Tampa, Florida area to be near family and was no longer able to view our Masses on TV. Then her new tablet arrived.

“I cannot tell you how much (live-streaming the Mass) means to me,” Rose said. “I love the broadcasts from Saint Paul and Saint Mary. The homilies have a good message. It’s wonderful.”

Ministry to senior citizens and shut-ins across our diocese holds a special place in Bishop David Zubik’s heart.

“Part of the beauty of southwestern Pennsylvania is the heritage that has been left to us by our parents and grandparents who have done more than just build the Church of Pittsburgh,” Bishop Zubik said. “My dream is that we can reach out to them right in the midst of their own living rooms.”

Deacon Jeffrey Hirst, director of the diocesan Office for Media and Technology who is leading this effort, embraces the opportunity.

“We live in an exciting time in the history of the Church as we labor in the vineyard of the Lord with the work of the New Evangelization,” Deacon Hirst said. “We are being challenged to be like Jesus and proclaim the Gospel with our words and our lives.

“This requires a new language that is dynamic and resounding. The Christian Associates TV Channel, ChristianAssociatesTV.org and its social media are part of that language,” Deacon Hirst added.

Long before the rise of the Internet, Pope John Paul II promoted the New Evangelization by explaining the need for a new “ardor, methods and expression.” It’s a missionary call to each of us to deepen our faith, believe in the Gospel message and go forth and proclaim it, including for the ongoing pastoral care of those whose faith is alive.

The Christian Associates ecumenical network is an outreach ministry, especially to the homebound elderly, young parents and others who seek worship services and programming from mainstream Christian traditions. Masses are streamed live daily at 8:15 a.m. from St. Paul Cathedral in Oakland and at noon from St. Mary of Mercy in downtown Pittsburgh, and replayed later.

There is also a video-on-demand feature that archives programs for convenient playback.

The network staff is constantly reviewing and adding new local and national programming to make the channel and web site current and dynamic.

“So many of our senior citizens whom I’ve met tell me how they appreciate the opportunity to connect with the church, and especially to connect with God through the church by way of the programs on cable television,” Bishop Zubik said.

“I believe the campaign can truly help us to be able to reach out to our senior citizens who deserve that kind of service from us as the Church of Pittsburgh,” Bishop Zubik said.

“I’m so very grateful,” Rose said. “My deepest thanks to the Bishop.”

For live streaming and encore broadcasts of Daily Mass as well as other programs, log onto www.ChristianAssociatesTV.org.