MADISON, Wis. -- WISC-TV is celebrating its 50th anniversary this week. There have been some very long CBS TV runs in the past half century -- such as "I Love Lucy," "Lassie," and "Leave It To Beaver."

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But none of these had the staying power of a program produced in the WISC-TV studios. As WISC-TV turns 50, "The Apostolate To The Handicapped" marks its 40th year on the air.

The star of the show, the Rev. Thomas Campion, is funny, passionate and provides unconditional love to his audience. And like the Blues Brothers, he is on a "mission from God."

Campion, of Monroe, began his spiritual journey 40 years ago when he knew absolutely nothing about television.

In the church hierarchy, he's officially regarded as monsignor. But here at WISC-TV, he is known as "T.C.," and some of the crew are Campion's Champions.

Under church rules, Campion officially had to resign two months ago when he turned 75. But the bishop knows a good thing when he sees it, and Campion is not about to give up his gig as producer and director of "Apostolate To The Handicapped."

The show has a target audience but also enjoys a certain mass appeal.

"There's no collection, and if they don't like it they can shut it off. You know, a pretty good deal. (A) guy once told me, 'I love the TV Mass. Two cigarettes and a beer, and I've been to church (laughs)," Campion said.

Campion is one of a kind, and his quick smile and wit have been hitting the airwaves 52 weeks a year for 40 years running.

"Over 2000 television Masses we have brought to shut-ins of all faiths," he said.

Campion said, from the beginning, he wanted to make the TV Mass inclusive.

"It was my idea from the beginning. Let's make this a program for all people, not just Catholics or any certain religion," he said. "Because the TV Mass is for those who live on the margins of society -- sometimes the unwanted, sometimes the unloved, sometimes the forgotten."

When Campion first started this TV run, he did not know how long it might last. He feared it might be something about which few people cared -- but this is also a show about family.

The owner of WISC-TV at the time, Mrs. Morgan Murphy, made him a promise 39 years ago.

"(She said), 'Father Campion, you never have to worry as long as I'm alive ... well she died," he said.

But the new owner, Murphy's daughter, never blinked, and with the blessing of the bishop, the signal from Campion's unprecedented TV reign remains as strong as ever.

He said he has no idea how many are in the viewing audience, in his congregation, but he knows it is a fairly large flock, because once in a while he meets face to face with some of them.

"Take a look at yourself and you may look at others differently. In our program the common definition is that we're all handicapped. We all have something to give in life, or have something to receive," he said.

When Campion first took on the ministry, he was just out of alcohol treatment. The bishop told him that that is his handicap. And the bishop told him, "If you do this right, it'll be the best thing the diocese has going," Campion recalled.

"With these people, give an example of how to accept life, how to endure life with pain, with tears … and still not feel sorry for themselves. Nobody wants to be the object of anybody's pity. That's demeaning," Campion said. "We truly we are a family. We are the family of God here on television, with you, we are a family together."

Campion is fighting a battle with cancer right now, but he says he feels strong and the show will go on as long as he is physically able. After that, station owner Elizabeth Burns is talking about possibly doing reruns.

WISC-TV is the only station in the country to give a half-hour of airtime free for a church program.