The Faithful Traveler

One block from Ground Zero sits New York City's first and oldest Catholic Church. St. Peters is a survivor of heavy landing gear that smashed through the roof on 9/11.

The big stuff was fixed but much of the cosmetic damage hasn't been repaired yet. Things like peeling paint and fissures in the ceiling turn an otherwise impressive structure into an unpopular tattered house of worship.

The church is still impressive though, especially in pictures. It helped even more when I used my lighting kit to kick up the brightness factor on the granite portico and the sacred art. There was a deluge going on outside so so much for capturing exteriors.

Whenever I blog about a church you can almost bet it's part of a production called "The Faithful Traveler". The producer, Diana von Glahn is a lifelong Catholic bent on showcasing the wonders of the Catholic faith and traditions through her own 13-series television program. She researches, writes, performs, edits and chooses music for each episode.

Her most impressive feat is her bilingual scripting. Diana works double duty in the field by repeating her lines both in English and Spanish. I can't say that about any other reporter, anchor or host I've ever worked with. I keep pushing for subtitles but she's adamant about making the churches accessible for everyone.

For more on the show, check out her website. Later this month we're off to Baltimore, a major American seaport with gems like the Baltimore Basilica, the oldest Catholic Cathedral in the United States.