“As a TV network, we’re thrilled to be covering these events,” said Fr. Thomas Rosica, chief executive officer of Salt + Light. “And personally, it is a great honour for me to be accompanying the archbishop.
“I had the privilege of being with him when he received his palliums when he was installed as archbishop in Edmonton and then in Toronto. I always knew there’d be a third event to cover.”
Rosica will provide the live commentary from the Vatican while a team of producers, technicians and on-air personalites contribute via hookup in Toronto. The Salt + Light coverage is being co-ordinated with Vatican Television and the international news agency Rome Reports.
“Our people in Toronto will be arriving for work at 1 a.m.,” Rosica said. “For every person that is seen on screen, there will probably be 10 more working behind the scenes.”
The consistory to install the new cardinals will be televised live on Feb. 18 starting at 4:30 a.m. eastern time. It will be repeated six hours later in English and at 3:50 p.m. in French.
The following day, Salt + Light will also provide live coverage of the papal Mass with the new cardinals, starting at 3:30 a.m. eastern time (repeated at 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.).
Collins will say his first Mass as a cardinal on Monday, Feb. 20 from the Tomb of St. Peter in the Vatican crypt and, again, Salt + Light will be there. This time, though, the Mass will be taped to be televised later in the day.
In addition to those main events, Rosica said his cameras will be following Collins throughout the days leading up to the consistory to capture all the “special moments.” These will include interviews with Collins and other Vatican figures, Masses that Collins will say for the delegation of about 150 people who will be joining him in Rome, plus coverage of the weekly papal public audience. Additionally, Salt + Light will be on hand when Collins leads lectio divina at the International Youth Church of San Lorenzo on Feb. 17.
From those many hours of film, Salt + Light will be producing a documentary of the week in Rome to be released later in the year.
“All our coverage will be available on television and through our web site (saltandlighttv.org),” Rosica said. “I also hope to be sending five-minute daily news reports.”
Salt + Light is available by subscription for under $3 per month through local cable providers.