Mass for You at Home reaches 50 Years
The longest-running program on Australian commercial television reaches a milestone this Sunday.
- Published by David Knox
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The longest-running program on Australian commercial television, Mass for You at Home, will mark 50 years on 10 this Sunday.
Mass for You at Home, which originally aired on Channel 0 in Victoria, was a ministry of the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne from 1971 until earlier this year.
It is now produced by the Catholic Diocese of Wollongong, in partnership with the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference.
Wollongong Bishop Brian Mascord said, “Fr. Michael King’s vision from the early 1970s – to provide spiritual nourishment to the housebound – is still relevant today for people who are sick, infirm, in hospital or aged care, in prison or don’t have internet.
“We also have a special commitment to the deaf, supported by AUSLAN interpreters.
“To bring a real sense of the sacred to people, inviting them to be part of a scattered yet connected worshipping community, is a privilege and a great responsibility. We take that responsibility seriously and are humbled by the letters, emails and calls we receive from our grateful community.
“The pandemic has also introduced a new audience to Mass for You at Home, via television and online platforms.”
Earlier this year production moved from studio services at 10’s Como studios after 13 years under producer John Rowland, in what was deemed to be a cost cutting exercise by the Catholic Church. Current costs are around $450,000 a year.
It relocated to church-produced services in Wollongong but continues to screen each Sunday on 10, meeting a need for religious audiences during a pandemic.
“Having observed our production team working on Mass for You at Home for the past few months, it has demonstrated what must have gone into this task over the decades,” Bishop Mascord said.
“I thank and honour those – past and present – who have allowed this ministry to flourish, and I also thank those who are now providing financial support to see the legacy continue.”
Mass for You at Home airs 6am Sundays on 10.
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6 Responses
I tend to think the longest running entertainment program on commercial TV in Sydney began as the ‘Mid-day Matinee’, later ‘Mid-day Movie’ on ATN7 in the fifties. It has in latter times been unpredictable with the start time sometimes at 12.30, or being bumped for ‘Encore’ repeats, but it is basically the same program.
I don’t think a movie timeslot really counts as a long-running program, especially given most of the time the movies are re-runs or cheap American telemovies, anyway.
I didn’t know that Mass For You At Home was now made in Wollongong, though. Sorry to read that it’s no longer being made at ATV10 after so many years but pleased to see it’s made it to this milestone 50 years and has barely missed a week in all that time.
Movie timeslot totally separate. There was a time when it had hostings, but it is in no way a produced show.
There was no mention of a “produced show’, only “longest-running program on Australian commercial television”. A scheduled program refers to any type of show on TV including News, movies, cartoons, advertorials etc.
I can’t even….
It’s not an overly popular show, but it fulfills a community need. Especially for the elderly and people who may not be able to attend church physically. It is Catholic and there could be at least consideration for broadcasting other denomination services if resources are available. 50 years is quite the achievement.