The public is invited to The Big Picture screening of the documentary That All May Be One with producer-director Karen Kearns, and a discussion on Women Religious in the United States.

Tuesday, February 2, 2010
7:30 p.m.

Where have all the sisters gone? Their unusual dress once made them easy to identify, but since their move to secular clothing the sisters have become invisible. Catholic Church scandals generate headlines, but acts of kindess rarely get media coverage. This story examines the good work and eduring legacy of the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Carondelet, a community of Catholic nuns who run an operation comparable to a "Fortune 500" nonprofit company. Their work is a vital part of communities throughout the United States, Canada, Chile, Japan and Peru. For four years, the filmmakers followed the lives and changing missions of sisters in leadership roles in the St. Louis province. This story examines how the sisters manage their operations and investments always true to their charism of serving “the dear neighbor.” But the number of sisters is declining. As their numbers decrease the documentary chronicles a disappearing way of life. In spite of the odds, these women are charming, funny, and pragmatic as they continue to make tomorrow.

The documentary premiered in St. Louis at the St. Louis International Film Festival and the St. Louis Filmmakers Showcase. Since then it has been screened at LA Femme Film Festival, a premier festival that focuses on women filmmakers' platforming their commercial films for the world wide audience.  The evening will conclude with a remarks by local scholars, and a public forum with producer, director and writer Karen Kearns.  Kearns began working on her documentary in 2001, after reading an article in the Los Angeles Times about the declining numbers of nuns.

Learn more about this feature documentary online at www.thatallmaybeone.com.  Learn more about The Big Picture: Documentary Series for Faith and Culture.

Location The Rose Hills Auditorium, Ahmanson Weingart Hall Mount Saint Mary's College (Doheny Campus) 10 Chester Place, Los Angeles, CA 90007 View Maps & Directions

Admission Free and Open to the Public! Donations welcomed.

ABOUT THE DOCUMENTARIAN

Karen Kearns is Associate Dean of the Mike Curb College of Arts, Media and Communication at California State University, Northridge. Before moving to Los Angeles, Kearns worked for National Public Radio in Washington, D.C. as a producer and a newscaster for All Things Considered, and as a news writer and announcer for Voice of America. She continued to freelance for NPR, VOA KCRW-FM and KOST-FM in Los Angeles. Kearns produced a radio drama version of Mcteague, for L.A. Theatre Works and KCRW-FM. As a professional voice talent and a member of AFTRA, she has created characters and narrated series and spots for NBC's Passions, PBS, and NPR. She is the writer, director and producer of the feature documentary, That All May Be One, about the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet.