Documentary on St. John Paul II and America to Air on PBS, Catholic and Spanish TV

A new documentary on St. John Paul II and his relationship with North and South America will screen this month on PBS-affiliated stations and EWTN, the international Catholic network, helping to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the pope's death on April 2, 2005. The film was produced by the Knights of Columbus.

"John Paul II in America: Uniting a Continent" explores the indelible mark left on the Western Hemisphere by the papacy of John Paul II. It will be shown on PBS stations nationwide beginning on Good Friday, April 3, and will be available throughout a large portion of the U.S. later in the month on CatholicTV of Boston and EWTN.

St. John Paul presented an understanding of a "united American continent" under the patronage of Our Lady of Guadalupe, and his travels as pope from Argentina to Alaska 22 journeys in all generated massive crowds, helped form an entire generation of Catholics, and played a part in shaping history.

Viewers will be both intrigued and moved by the documentary's FRAMEWORK for understanding one of the giant figures of modern times within the context of the American continent.

Narrated by actor Andy Garcia, the film features rare archival footage and analyses from leading Catholic figures, including Cardinal Sen P. O'Malley of Boston, Knights of Columbus Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson, John Paul II biographer George Weigel and former Vatican spokesman Joaqun Navarro-Valls.

"John Paul II brought a great renewal of confidence, excitement and joy to Christian life that was manifested in such events as the canonization of St. Juan Diego in Mexico City and the World Youth Days in Buenos Aires, Denver and Toronto," said Knights of Columbus Supreme Knight Carl Anderson. "He also issued a renewed call for human dignity, the gospel of life, respect for indigenous people, and a commitment to the poor throughout Latin America and North America."

Air dates for the documentary on PBS affiliates include:

• Maine's PTV on Easter Sunday, April 5, at 5 p.m. and 11 p.m.
• Vermont Public Television on Easter Sunday, April 5, at 4:30 p.m.
• KOZJ-TV in Joplin, Mo., on Easter Sunday, April 5, at 2:30 p.m. and 10 p.m.
• KEDT-TV in Corpus Christi, Texas, on Easter Sunday, April 5, at 3 p.m. and on Tuesday, April 14, at 11 p.m.
• KOZK-TV in Springfield, Mo., on Easter Sunday, April 5, at 2:30 p.m.and 10 p.m.
• KUSD-TV in South Dakota on Easter Sunday, April 5, at 10 p.m.
• KRSC-TV (aka RSU-TV) in Tulsa, Okla., on Good Friday, April 3, Easter Sunday, April 5, at 11 p.m.; and on Wednesday, April 8, at 11 a.m.
• WEFS-TV in Cocoa, Fla., on Easter Sunday, April 5, at 10 p.m.
• Colorado's Rocky Mountain PBS and KTSC-TV in Colorado Springs/Pueblo on Easter Sunday, April 5, at 2 p.m.
• WNGH-TV on Chattanooga, Tenn. on Wednesday, April 8, at 12:30 a.m.
• Georgia's statewide public television on Wednesday, April 8, at 12:30 a.m.
• KAKM-TV in Anchorage, KYUK-TV in Bethel and and Juneau's KTOO on Thursday, April 23, at 8 p.m. and on Friday, April 24, at 12 a.m.

Air dates on Catholic television outlets include:

• EWTN on Wednesday, April 29, at 10 p.m. Eastern Time (ET); on Thursday, April 30, at 10 a.m. (ET); and on Saturday, May 2, at 4 p.m. (ET).
• Boston's CatholicTV on Monday, April 20, at 10:30 p.m.; Thursday, April 23, at 5 p.m.; and Saturday, April 25, at 3:30 a.m.
• Canada's Salt + Light Television on Sunday, April 12, at 9 p.m. (ET).
• Estrella, a U.S. Spanish-language network, on Good Friday, April 3, at 7 p.m. Pacific Time, 6 p.m. Central Time.

For more information about the film, including broadcast times and the DVD release, visit www.kofc.org/jpiifilm.

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