By Sr. Rose Pacatte
A Golden Voice: How Faith, Hard Work, and Humility Brought Me from the Streets to Salvation
By Ted Williams (with Brett Witter)
Penguin, New York
$26 hard cover
Along the Way: The Journey of a Father and a Son
By Martin Sheen and Emilio Estevez (with Hope Edelman)
Free Press, New York
$27 hard cover
Two books were released in May about what it means to be a man: a father, a son and a grandfather, too. Both are apologias more than memoirs and both have a strong faith dimension and links to Catholicism and Ohio — and addiction. The men in both books became fathers at a very young age. Their stories are extremely honest and reveal details that will surprise and inspire you, and some that may shock you as well. Both books have dual voices and are easy, swift reads that ask us to admit our humanity. They invite us to walk with these fellow travelers to discover humility and the action of grace in people’s lives that will astonish you
I read Ted William’s story first, the “theater of the mind” man with a voice born for radio. Ted was born in New York in 1957 and adopted by a woman, Julia, who always wanted a child, and her husband, Al, who worked his entire career in the same job for an airline at JFK International Airport. His parents were steady, but Ted was a “pleaser” who wanted to be liked and accepted. He was raised Protestant but began going to the Jehovah Witness Kingdom hall in his teens. He went to Catholic school in Brooklyn for a while, too. From the age of 14, he wanted to become a radio announcer. He and his father never saw eye to eye.
Monday, April 2 at 7pm: WE HAVE A POPE. This wry comic drama from Italian director Nanni Moretti takes us inside the Vatican as the College of Cardinals struggle to elect a new Pope. Unfortunately, the man selected for the post—played by veteran French actor Michel Piccoli—is not at all certain that he wants the job. Guest speakers: Aine O’Healy, professor of Italian and director of the Humanities Program at Loyola Marymount University; Maria Elena de las Carreras, professor of film at UCLA, Cal State Northridge, and the New York Film Academy; Sister Rose Pacatte, Pauline Center for Media Studies; and Scott Young, executive director, University Religious Conference at UCLA.
I am so happy to be here in South Africa again, to be part of a two-year program to prepare for the 50th anniversary of the beginning of the Second Vatican Council. I will only be here for a month, however!
Please visit my blog at the National Catholic Reporter for updates.
When Lucy Walker’s documentary about the current global nuclear threat opens this weekend in Washington, DC and New York (and begins a national rollout next weekend), interested citizens will have the opportunity to obtain free passes, courtesy of “angels” who are sponsoring tickets.
Participant Media produced Countdown to Zero and previously produced the Academy Award winning films An Inconvenient Truth and The Cove. Participant Media’s goal is to provide “entertainment that inspires and compels social change.” Last year, Participant Media’s Academy Award nominated film Food, Inc. sure convinced me to be a more mindful food consumer based on justice issues and I am becoming a vegetarian . (See my review Food, Inc.)
I reviewed “Countdown to Zero” earlier this month in NCR Countdown to Zero: Nuclear reality and lost opportunity
Click here for cities, theaters and links for tickets. http://www.takepart.com/node/165470
I am so very grateful for this award. I was at the movies when Jane Abbott, the president of CIMA called me, twice, and I let it go to message because, well, I was at the movies, and when one is at the movies, one should be there. I called her back from Barnes and Noble’s after. Jane told me about the Board of Directors Award and I was very moved to be considered – and momentarily rendered speechless. You really managed to surprise me.
Before I thank several people who brought me to this day, I would like to tell you that when we have Mass in our chapel in Culver City, at the prayer of the faithful I almost always pray out loud for all those who work in the entertainment and information communications media industries, that they may promote the dignity of the human person in all the stories they tell.
By honoring human dignity all of us can contribute to making the world a better place because stories touch the heart. I believe that film and television can reveal God who makes us understand and accept our humanity and the community, the connectedness, of humankind through the grace of art that transcends the darkness. The light from the screen, any media screen, lets us see the faces of our brothers and sisters and connect to them and respond as authentic human beings and disciples. In one another, we find God.
I would like to thank my sister Emilie and brother-in-law Paul for being here, happy birthday to both of you! Who represent my very large family. I would like to thank my religious community of the Daughters of St. Paul of the last 43 years, keeping it real, who keep me real, my provincial Sr Margaret Sato is here from Boston.
I want to acknowledge two nuns who are present here who have been generous mentors to me over the last 20 years, Sr Elizabeth Thoman who introduced me to media literacy education and Sr Gretchen Hailer who wrote about it with me (and taught me how to begin each writing day with some new forms of computer Solitaire.)
Thank you, to Cardinal Mahony, who offers me and my community the opportunity to serve the people of God in this absolutely “splendid” archdiocese of Los Angeles through not only our book and media center but the Pauline Center for Media Studies – bringing media literacy education to catechesis and mission!
Thank you to Tom Shadyac, my friends, Marjiana of the International Press Academy, and terrific colleagues at CIMA who invited me to join them on this great adventure, the City of Angels Film Festival, Open Call, Catholic Communicators of Southern California, The Tidings…. And everyone in this large circle of friends, present and those present in spirit.
Catholics in Media will honor THE HURT LOCKER and GLEE on February 28. It seems funny to add my own name on my blog, but I am humbled and grateful to be receiving the Board of Directors Award.
Check here for the news release and ticket information: Catholics in Media Awards set for February 28
I arrived home from the SIGNIS World Congress last Saturday night and am just getting to the end of jetlag – I hope!
It was a great meeting and a wonderful trip home. My reflection on the journey is on my NCReporter Blog: Lucky Me!
I will have the honor of visiting our Sisters and Pauline Cooperators in Singapore before participating in the SIGNIS world congress in Chiang Mai, Thailand (www.signis.net) in October. Here is the publicity for Singapore – if you happen to be in the area! (Note: photo of me taken pre-Jenny Craig days 🙂
This is coming a little late but click on the link to see my picks for the Emmy’s with a shout out to The Humanitas Awards held yesterday at the Beverly Hills Hotel. It was a wonderful event to encourage and award the best in television and film writing that tells the human story with dignity and hope.
Sister Rose's My Movies Weblog 
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