Sr. Rose Pacatte to receive University of Dayton's Kane Award

Sr. Rose Pacatte, a member of the Daughters of St. Paul who writes and speaks about film, has been named the recipient of the Daniel J. Kane Religious Communications Award, given by the Institute for Pastoral Initiatives at the University of Dayton.

Pacatte will receive her award March 6 as part of the institute's Virtual Learning Community for Faith Formation's Diocesan Partners Convocation. The award is given for the use of mass media to communicate Gospel values.

"Sister Rose is prolific writer, lecturer and movie critic, whose approach to film truly exemplifies the spirit of the Kane award," said a Tuesday statement by Sr. Angela Ann Zukowski, a Mission Helper of the Sacred Heart who is director of the institute.

Pacatte is a regular columnist and film reviewer in the Catholic press, including the National Catholic Reporter and the U.S. Catholic and St. Anthony Messenger magazines. She is a film critic and host for the online programs "The INNdustry with Sr. Rose" and "Sister Rose Goes to the Movies."

She also is director of the Pauline Center for Media Studies in Culver City, Calif.

Pacatte was co-author of the film-review book series "Lights, Camera, Faith! A Movie Lectionary Guide to Scripture," which examined a film for each Sunday in the three-year Lectionary cycle.

She was also co-author of "Our Media World: Teaching Kids K-8 about Faith and Media," "A Catholic Christmas" and "Through a Catholic Lens: Religious Perspectives of 19 Film Directors from Around the World."

Pacatte was sole author of two books surrounding the release of the 2006 film "The Nativity Story," The Nativity Story: Contemplating Mary's Journeys of Faith and The Nativity Story -- A Film Study Guide For Catholics. Her next book is going to focus on actor Martin Sheen, a native of Dayton.

Her connections to the University of Dayton go back 25 years. She has a certificate in pastoral communications from the Marianist-run university, and has been an instructor for the Institute for Pastoral Initiatives. Pacatte also has helped to design media courses for the institute's Virtual Learning Community for Faith Formation, which has more than 50 diocesan partners in the United States, reaching into 182 Catholic dioceses and more than 40 countries, with 5,000 students enrolled last year.

The Virtual Learning Community is an online program offering 114 courses open to anyone seeking adult religious education and training in faith formation.

Pacatte continues to share her expertise via the Internet as a speaker for Sister Zukowski's Chaminade Scholars Program and helps arrange for Catholic actors, directors and producers to speak to classes about religion and film from Hollywood.