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Mass For You at Home continues, but changes looming…

The longest-running show on commercial TV will shift from studios to churches in a cost-cutting move.

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Speculation has been swirling around the future of long-running show Mass for You at Home.

The show has been running for over 49 years, as the longest-running show on commercial television.

Yesterday a Facebook post announced it would be concluding on January 3, 2021.

“We, the people who have worked on the program for many, many years, are deeply saddened that this day has come. A history of the program is currently being written by the priests, readers, signers, technicians and producers of the program and will be available for viewers to keep as a memento in late January.”

But in a twist the Melbourne Archbishop Peter A. Comensoli has confirmed the show will continue on 10 and pay television channel Aurora -with the show to move from a television studio to church services.

“I can confirm that Mass for You at Home will be on air in 2021, with the Archdiocese having recently underlined that intention with Network Ten,” Archbishop Comensoli said in a statement.

2020, which has seen church services also screen on Channel 31, has signalled a major shift in the presentation ahead.

For the past 13 years producer John Rowland has produced the series through Rowland Media Productions and previously Albert Street Productions.

Mass For You At Home, which screens Sunday mornings on 10, is a joint venture between the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne and Network 10, which offers airtime and studio space for filming.

Each January Rowland produces an entire year’s worth of episodes with priests and a crew at 10’s Como building. The current stockpile of episodes will screen on January 3rd, shy of the show’s 50th anniversary in August.

In a statement Archbishop Comensoli said the program will undergo some changes in 2021, including seeing Masses filmed in churches.

In a statement the Archbishop acknowledged that the broadcasting costs for the show are a challenge. Production will move in-church in-house with supporters and collaborators, and continue in January with a new-look.

“For decades, Mass for You at Home has been a source of comfort and strength for people who – for a range of reasons – haven’t been able to attend Mass in person,” Archbishop Comensoli said.

“People living in aged care, those in hospital or house-bound, people in prison, others awake early on a Sunday morning have been able to find spiritual nourishment in a world that can often be filled with ‘noise’,” he said.

“The people who have been expressing concern about the future of Mass for You at Home demonstrate that the program continues to meet an important need. We look forward to it continuing.”

It is also expected that additional material will be produced for the program’s online portal.

10 sources confirmed Mass For You At Home will continue.

8 Responses

  1. I started watching it this year because of the pandemic and my church has limit the number of people that can attend mass service. 6am is indeed very early so I would record it on my Foxtel IQ box instead and watch it during my regular mass service time so I can maintain some level of normality.

  3. 6am is very early, perhaps it would be better if it was on a bit later. Also why does it go for half an hour when a Catholic mass is usually around one hour?

  5. I do not watch it nor am I very religious but I definitely recognise and think it is important that this show does continue for those in our community who wish to continue attending mass but for any reason are not physically able to. An important service.

    1. Yes, it seems to be a vital service. Not sure if ABC could do this because of separation of state and religion, though they do have Songs of Praise. The other issue is denomination. Catholic is the prevalent denomination in Victoria, but may not be in some other parts of the country.

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