Slovakia: “We are here for you”, message from catholic media to believers

(Bratislava) - While most institutions and companies in Slovakia are experiencing a period of slowdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic, for Christian media like television, radio and online services, these are flourishing times. In a situation characterised by a ban on public church services and the inaccessibility of sacraments, Catholic media try to support believers, not only by offering daily broadcasts of Holy Masses, Ways of the Cross, Rosary Prayers and Adorations, but also special programmes dedicated to the prevention and fight against the pandemic from a social and religious point of view. The Catholic TV Lux has launched a daily broadcast where Church authorities and experts from various fields respond to the viewers’ questions. “We kept receiving information from several sources that the cases of mental illness and suicidal attempts were on the rise. People felt isolated and some of them had difficulties coping with the current situation. Our new daily programme ‘We are here for you’ provides an opportunity to ask questions and express one’s concerns, with a few special guests like the Archbishop of Bratislava, Stanislav Zvolenský, or the spokesman for the Bishops’ Conference, Martin Kramara, trying to respond and comfort our viewers”, explains Programme Director Fr. Jozef Kovacik. As he adds, thanks to the regular broadcasting of liturgical services and prayers, as well as the active approach of the Holy Father, Bishops, and the Church as a whole, “most people tend to live this situation with hope”, as we see from hundreds of positive reactions sent in by believers.
Gigliola Alfaro