STEUBENVILLE, OH—Franciscan University's Communication Arts Department will host "Media & Faith: Keying Into Contemporary Culture," Friday, April 1, to Saturday, April 2.
Speakers at the conference will address using new media to spread the Gospel and preach the word of God and the challenges created by the digital revolution, and offer guidance for church organizations trying to get the word out about their mission and events.
"Attendees will learn from Christians working in the communication industry and hear about some of the latest developments in the industry," said conference organizer and journalism professor Dr. Wayne Lewis. "It also will allow students and others who attend to network with media professionals."
Among the speakers will be Russell Shaw, a former spokesman for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and a consultor of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications. Shaw was principal writer of three pastoral letters for the American hierarchy and served as press secretary for the U.S. delegations to the world Synods of Bishops held in Rome between 1971 and 1987. He also served as press secretary to the American cardinals taking part in the two papal election conclaves of 1978 and was national coordinator of media relations for two of Pope John Paul II’s pastoral visits to the United States.
Shaw is the author or coauthor of nearly two dozen books, has published thousands of articles, columns, and reviews in U.S. and other periodicals, and is an adjunct professor of communications at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross, Rome.
Grete Salomonsen, one of Norway's leading family-film writer-directors and a silver-record award-winning singer, will also speak at the conference. She will present her 2010 film Yohan: The Child Wanderer, which stars Kris Kristofferson and won Best Film at the 2010 Stockholm Film Festival in its category. It also was screened at the 2010 Cannes Film Festival.
Salomonsen and her husband, Odd Hynnekleiv, a leading cinematographer and film producer, run their own production company called Penelope Films. Their mission is to bring goodness and truth to viewers through family-oriented films.
Other speakers include: Get Religion blog founder and director of the Washington Journalism Center, Terry Mattingly; former president and chief programming officer of Relevant Radio, Sherry Kennedy Brownrigg; and Stephen Gajdosik, president of the Catholic Radio Association.
Registration fees will be $35 per person, with discounted rates of $25 per person for faculty and $15 per person for students from any university. There will be a $15 per person charge for the closing dinner for participants. For more information, including descriptions of speakers and talks, visit the conference Website or contact Dr. Wayne Lewis at 740-284-5373 or by e-mail at wlewis@franciscan.edu.