Media Mindfulness Blog

Much of what is considered popular culture, that is, mainstream media culture such as movies, music, social media and online gaming touch upon a deep need in human beings for meaning, purpose, connection, friendship and love. In this sense, popular culture is the place for doing theology.

Every year, the interfaith Religious Communications Council presents the DeRose-Hinkhouse Awards to active members who demonstrate excellence in religious communications and public relations. This year, founding director of the Pauline Center for Media Studies, Sister Rose Pacatte, received the Award of Merit in the Broadcast/Cable TV Series category for her introductions and commentary provided for the Turner Classic Movies (TCM) Spotlight series, Condemned, aired in March of 2016. The series e...

Sister Hosea gives us the inside scoop on co-hosting a Catholic TV show! The Daughters of St. Paul have a long-standing collaboration with Bishop Robert Reed and the Catholic television station he oversees from Watertown, MA, Catholic TV. Begun in 1955 as the Catholic Television Center of the Archdiocese of Boston, Catholic TV has continued to grow and flourish starting with the leadership of Cardinal Richard Cushing and continuing through Cardinal Sean O’Malley.

The movie, The Shack, based on the book by William P. Young that sold over 10 million copies, is a cinematic retreat. In two hours it leads the viewer to go deeper and examine one’s life, struggles with faith, and relationships. As Tim McGraw says, who plays Mack’s friend and pastor Willie in the film, this story “impacts viscerally.” One cannot but be moved by such a profoundly impactful film. True to the medium, the movie leaves each viewer to enter into the emotion of the characters and c...

I love a good story. So, it should come as no surprise that I enjoy watching television and movies. At the same time, I watch these shows and films as a follower of Christ with a very specific and defined set of values and ideals that I strive to live by. I’m delighted when my values are reflected in what I see, whether on the big or small screen. The underlying ideas behind many of the television shows I watch is that the good guys will always win or the truth will always prevail. However, eve...