Media, Arts and Culture
LIVING THE CATHOLIC FAITH IN THE 3RD MILLENIUM
A LAYMAN'S LOOK AT THE JOURNEY OF FAITH

Media, Arts and Culture

ABIDING THE LONG DEFEAT WITH J.R.R. TOLKIEN 
Faithfulness In A Disenchanted Age: The only thing that may remain within our power is our own faithfulness.
ENGAGING CATHOLICS 
A series of web interviews with American writers, priests, politicians, thinkers and other public figures represents a dialogue between Catholicism and various aspects of secular culture.
VATICAN WARNS CATHOLIC BLOGS CREATE "CESSPOOL OF HATRED" 
Although Pope Francis has succeeded in rebranding the public profile of the Church his positive tone isn’t always reflected when Catholics themselves take to the use of social media.
YOUNG ADULT CATHOLICS BLOG 
Join the movement of Catholics in their 20s and 30s who seek justice in the church and world
ABBEY OF THE ARTS  
An online, global "monastery" offering resources which integrate contemplative spiritual practice and creative expression with monastic spirituality.
IN 'THE TWO POPES,' AN IMAGINED CONVERSATION EXPRESSES A UNIVERSAL NEED FOR TOLERANCE 
[The film] deals well with church history, the papacy, the mysteries of faith and communion. It also has something to say about the antagonistic level of public discourse in the U.S.
MEET THE MONKS WHO BREW THE ONLY TRAPPIST BEER IN AMERICA 
St. Joseph's Abbey, in Spencer, Mass., is a beautiful monastery, has a welcoming community, and is great place to make a retreat. It's also the only place licensed to brew authentic "Trappist beer" in the U.S.
THE JESUIT MISSIONARIES WHO INSPIRED ROLAND JOFFÉ’S 'THE MISSION' 
The story of a film that became an inspiration to Jesuits and their companions worldwide.
THREE ESSENTIALS FOR SHARING THE GOSPEL ONLINE 
Like many powerful forces in this world, online communication is capable of building-up humanity or tearing people down and apart from each other.
WHY ARE CATHOLIC WRITERS SO BORING? 
Myles Connolley on American Catholic Writers: The American Catholic Writer sets out bravely to be persuasive, to be provocative, to be useful—to be everything, indeed, except entertaining.
CATHOLIC MEDIA HAS A DIVERSITY PROBLEM  
Catholic media must actively seek out women and people of color to ensure broader, more accurate representation.
'SOLOS’: MONOLOGUES FOR TODAY AND TOMORROW 
Seven great actors for seven great questions: this is the strength of Solos, a miniseries produced by Amazon Prime Studios.
AT 50 YEARS, 'THE GODFATHER' STILL IMPACTS HOW HOLLYWOOD DEPICTS GANGS, VIOLENCE 
The legacy is that in the grab for power, one dies alone, seemingly exterminated by a child playing with insect spray as happened to Vito Corleone.
‘THE CHOSEN’ – WHEN JESUS BECOMES A TV SERIES  
The central idea of writing fiction that combines the essential episodes of the Gospel with an added narrative fabric is legitimate in its approach as it reveals the humanity of both Jesus and the other characters.
OFFICIALS ACROSS US CHURCH, VATICAN LAMENT CLOSING OF CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE  
Catholic media professionals lamented the pending loss of Catholic News Service, which has been long respected for providing objective and balanced reporting on the church.
IN CLOSING CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE, U.S. BISHOPS UNDERMINE THEIR PASTORAL WORK  
No editing, no accountability, no professionalism adds up to no credibility. And that is what the Catholic bishops, whose reservoir of credibility was already down to the fumes, are sacrificing when they dismantle a professional news outlet like CNS.
CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE CLOSURE OPENS THE DOOR TO PARTISAN AND IDEOLOGICAL CHURCH COVERAGE 
There’s going to be a big gap in what our parishioners are going to know about what’s going on in the U.S. and throughout North America.
RIP CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE, GONE TOO SOON AND WHEN WE NEEDED YOU MOST  
The passing of CNS exemplifies the more general problem of the Catholic Church operating on a national level through bishops' conferences.
AN UNHOLY ALLIANCE 
A nun founded a TV station that became the “Catholic Fox News.” Given the lack of any real competition for EWTN, critics say there is a danger of the oppositional right being the only voice with a large platform.
“CHURCH IN THE DIGITAL” OFFERS TOOLS FOR A CHURCH ALSO PRESENT ONLINE  
Pope Francis pens the preface for “Church in the Digital” which offers tools and proposals for the Church that is also present in the digital world.
HOW TO EVALUATE CATHOLIC JOURNALISM AS CNS SHUTS DOWN 
Lots of actors will be after audience, influence, and revenue. Be careful what you read. Be concerned if the outlet is endorsed by the people (bishops in particular) it is supposed to be covering.
PUBLISHER COMMITS TO RELAUNCHING CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE 
Two months after the U.S. bishops' conference said it would halt Catholic News Service operations in the U.S., Our Sunday Visitorannounced it will launch a new iteration of the service at the beginning of 2023.
POPE FRANCIS WARNS OF TOXICITY IN SOCIAL MEDIA, CALLS FOR INCLUSION IN DIGITAL SPACE 
Pope Francis has called on Catholics to counter toxicity in social media, and to engage in dialogue and education to help deal with “lies and misinformation.”
OVERLAPS BETWEEN STRANGER THINGS AND THE CATHOLIC THING  
If we as Catholics do not find ways to appreciate the points of contact with our faith that are latent within new media, we are losing a tremendous chance for evangelization.
THE FUTURE OF CATHOLIC JOURNALISM 
We need to tell the story of the Church in a new light. We need to communicate the narrative of salvation in a way that is healing for the late modern person. We need to employ the best media strategies, to embrace transparency, to rebuild trust in the institution of the Church.
A GROUNDBREAKING DOCUMENTARY ON THE CHANGES TO CATHOLIC PARISH LIFE 
[This] film is a tool and a guide for these challenging conversations that need to happen at parishes around the country.
DOES THE POPE NEED AN EDITOR? 
The pope's interview last month with America, the Jesuit journal, was a textbook example of why the Vatican does not want the pope doing interviews.
REACTION AND REFORM  
An engaging account of how catholicism has developed over the past 250 years - A Review: Catholicism: A Global History from the French Revolution to Pope Francis
‘WOMEN TALKING’ IS THE OSCAR NOMINEE EVERY CATHOLIC NEEDS TO SEE 
“Women Talking” is an exploration of the way that religion can be used to imprison people - and what’s worse, to teach them to imprison themselves.
‘A PORTRAIT OF DEFEAT’: INSIDE A REVEALING FILM ABOUT POPE FRANCIS 
Gianfranco Rosi’s intimate new documentary In Viaggio: The Travels of Pope Francis follows the pontiff as he confronts contentious issues around the world.
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