Egyptian bishops seek Western aid to launch a Catholic television channel

TORONTO - The Catholic Church in Egypt is trying to gets its voice out to the nation through a new broadcasting effort. 

Fr. Henri Boulad, director of the Jesuit Cultural Centre in Alexandria, Egypt, was in Toronto June 19-22 spreading awareness of Catholic television that may air in Egypt and seeking support. Boulad visited Salt + Light Television, Canada’s Catholic broadcaster, in hopes of furthering the desire of Egypt’s Catholic bishops to create the country’s first Catholic television channel. 

“The Protestants have four channels in Egypt,” said Boulad. “The Catholics have none and this is a shame.” 

Boulad appears twice a day on Protestant television in Alexandria on a variety of subjects. 

The episcopal conference of bishops in Egypt, including the Latin rite bishop, began planning for a Catholic channel about a year ago and have built a “very well equipped” studio, but are unable to finance the whole project. 

“We need the support of Catholics and the main media of the West to be able to finalize this project, which is vital for us,” said Boulad. 

“We have no means of conveying our message to the people, to the population, which is a shame. Why not have a partnership with the media of the West, which are able to support us if they are willing?”