This document provides a summary of a litany for media mindfulness that includes prayers to various Catholic saints who exemplify living virtuously and engaging with media in a mindful way. The litany includes 16 petitions addressing topics like accessing information critically, representing diverse viewpoints, and using media to spread truthful messages. It encourages praying to saints like Gabriel, Paul, Clare, and Alberione for guidance in navigating our digital world and media culture with wisdom and discernment.
2. MEDIA SAINTSLIVING MINDFULLY IN A DIGITAL WORLD
by: Sr. Nancy Usselmann, FSP
bemediamindful.org
Pauline Center for Media Studies
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3. Saint-Celebrities
• They are the Catholic SUPERHEROES
• They show us how to live mindfully in the world, always with a view toward heaven
• They exemplify LIVING VIRTUOUSLY
• They give us “tools” to keep us on the path to holiness
• They pray for us along the journey of life
• They are our guides in being Media Mindful in our digital age
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4. Knowing their stories
gives us the means and ways to engage critically and mindfully with the world while not
becoming “of” the world. The saints are our guides for a media culture.
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5. Litany of Saints for Media Mindfulness
• There are 16 applications to Media Mindfulness as we pray the Litany of Media Saints
• Media Mindfulness —media literacy from a faith perspective
• Media Literacy — the ability to access, analyze, evaluate, create, and participate with the
messages that the media communicate; it is about being engaged with the media culture
and developing critical thinking skills
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6. “We are living in an information-driven
society which bombards us
indiscriminately with data—all treated
as being of equal importance—and
which leads to remarkable
superficiality in the area of moral
discernment. In response, we need
to provide an education which
teaches critical thinking and
encourages the developments of
mature moral values.”
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Core Concepts Key Ques/ons
1. All media messages are constructed. Who created this message?
2. Media messages are constructed using a
crea6ve language with its own rules.
What crea6ve techniques are used to a:ract my
a:en6on?
3. Different people experience the same
media message differently.
How might different people understand this message
differently?
4. Media have embedded values and points
of view.
What values, lifestyles and points of view are represented
in, or omi:ed from, this message?
5. Most media messages are organized to
gain profit and/or power.
Why is this message being sent?
11. MEDIA
SPIRITUALITY
• Needs of Humanity
• Word and Eucharist
• Evangelizers in a Media Culture
• Transforming Culture from within
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12. Blessed James
Alberione
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“How often to you ask yourselves: Where is humanity going? This humanity
that is renewing itself on the face of the earth. It is like a great river flowing
into eternity. Will it be saved or will it be lost?”
Media Apostle, Founder of the Pauline Family
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14. Media
Spirituality
• Spirituality for our digital age
• Praying with the media
• Praying for media professionals
• Praying for Celebrities
• Litany for Media Mindfulness
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16. MOST HOLY TRINITY
Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Your inner life of love is the essence of
our communion.
2 HAVE MERCY ON US.
17. MARY, QUEEN
OF APOSTLES
you help us respect the dignity
of every human person and
reflect that dignity in the media
we produce and consume.
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PRAY FOR US.
18. SAINT
GABRIEL
you brought God’s invitation to Mary
and announced that Jesus would
save us from our sins; you who are
the patron of radio,
telecommunications and
communication workers…
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PRAY FOR US.
19. SAINT
PAUL
you are the apostle who
proclaimed Christ to all
peoples through your
preaching, example and
letters, you who are a patron
saint of the Catholic press
and a patron of writers…
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PRAY FOR US.
20. SAINT
CECILIA
you loved Jesus above all
things and brought joy to your
friends and family in the faith
through beautiful sounds; you
who are the patron of music
and musicians…
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PRAY FOR US.
21. SAINT
BERNARDINE
OF SIENA
you proclaimed Jesus to everyone
you met; you spread the
devotion to the Eucharist and the
holy name of Jesus; you created a
logo for Jesus’ name and you are
the patron saint of those who
work in public relations…
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PRAY FOR US.
22. SAINT
CLARE
you loved Jesus and dedicated
your whole life to Him and the
Church as a nun; you who saw
the Mass appear on your wall
when you were too sick to attend,
and are now the patron saint of
television, television workers, and
all those who watch television…
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PRAY FOR US.
23. SAINT
GENESIUS
you who became a
Christian when acting in
a play about Jesus, and
are now the patron saint
of actors…
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PRAY FOR US.
24. SAINT
FRANCIS
DE SALES
you wrote many books
about Jesus and how to
live the spiritual life; you
who are the patron saint
of journalists and the
good press…
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PRAY FOR US.
25. you loved art and gave
us images of what is
true, good and beautiful;
you who are the patrons
of artists…
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PRAY FOR US.
SAINT LUKE THE EVANGELIST
AND
SAINT CATHERINE OF ALEXANDRIA
26. SAINT MARTIN DE PORRES
SAINT MARY MAGDALENE AND
VENERABLE PIERRE
TOUSSAINT
you who are the
patrons of hairdressers
and therefore those
who create special
effects in media…
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PRAY FOR US.
27. SAINT
ISIDORE OF
SEVILLE
you wrote the world’s first
encyclopedia and created
the first “database” of
information. Perhaps you
will one day be named
patron of the internet…
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PRAY FOR US.
28. SAINT
ALBERT THE
GREAT
you are the patron saint of
science and technology.
Pray for all those who use
science and technology to
communicate information
and entertainment stories
to us…
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PRAY FOR US.
29. SAINT
THOMAS
AQUINAS
you were a great thinker and
philosopher; because of your
great faith, there was never any
question of which you were
afraid; give us the wisdom to
always ask questions of the
media so we can be mindful of
media messages…
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PRAY FOR US.
30. BLESSED
JAMES
ALBERIONE
you used the media to
communicate wholesome
messages to the human family,
especially the Good News of
Jesus. We pray you will one day
be named patron saint of all the
media and digital media…
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PRAY FOR US.
31. ALL SAINTS
you once lived among us and witnessed to the love of Christ for everyone in your own times.
We live now in a media world. Show us the way to make thoughtful choices about the media
so that we may find Jesus in our daily lives. Help us to become media mindful.
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PRAY FOR US.
34. PRAYING FOR CELEBRITIES
1. Ask the students to think of one of their favorite celebrities. It could be
an actor, singer, musician, dancer, tv show host, artist, comedian,
famous chef… any celebrity they like and admire
2. When we like a celebrity, we might follow their work, or follow them on
social media. We might even try to meet them one day at a concert,
conference, or convention… or get their picture if we see them in the
street.
3. But have you ever thought about how you can pray for your celebrity?
4. Your favorite celebrity is a real person. A real person with likes and
dislikes, with wonderful qualities and faults, with talents and limitations,
with personal joys and struggles. Have you ever noticed or thought
about what some of these might be? Have you ever brought these to
God for them?
5. Even if you never meet your favorite celebrity, you are connected to
them through prayer. You can lift them up to God, and intercede for
them.
6. Hand every student a piece of colored paper and a writing utensil.
Have each student write down the name of the celebrity that they wish
to pray for today. It might be their favorite celebrity, or maybe it’s a
celebrity that God is placing on their heart today for them to pray for.
7. Once the students have chosen a celebrity to pray for, have them write
out a prayer for their celebrity. Encourage the students to include an
element of thanksgiving (thanking God for the life, talent, inspiration,
etc. of their chosen celebrity) and an element of petition (interceding
for a particular need of this celebrity, or a hope that they have for their
life, or asking that their celebrity come closer to God, etc.).
8. After students have written their prayer, provide them some time to
pray with it quietly (1-2 minutes of silence). If strapped for time, pray
an Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory Be on behalf of all the celebrities
chosen, and encourage the students to pray their written prayer on
their own at home.
9. Challenge the students to take up this prayer as a novena: to pray
their prayer for their chosen celebrity each day for a 9-day stretch.
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