Vatican Radio’s Sean-Patrick Lovett receives Daniel J. Kane Award

Sean-Patrick Lovett, Vatican Radio’s director of English language programming, accepted the 2013 Daniel J. Kane Religious Communications Award from the University of Dayton‘s Institute for Pastoral Initiatives Jan. 31 in the university’s Kennedy Union Ballroom. Lovett received the award for his “outstanding lifetime dedication to Gospel values using mass media.” In addition to his duties at Vatican Radio, Lovett is a professor of Communications at the Pontifical Gregorian University. The award is named for Daniel J. Kane, former communication director for the archdiocese of Cincinnati. Last year’s winner was filmmaker Martin Doblmeier.

“It is not a given to be recognized for what you do,” Lovett said. “One doesn’t do what one does in order to be recognized. One does what one does because one has to do it. At this stage, after 35 years, I don’t know where I begin and my work ends. I am what I do at this stage. To be recognized not just for doing what you do but for being who you are is incredibly important.”
In his 35 years in Church communication, Lovett has served four popes, edited a book by Mother Teresa and travelled around the globe as a war correspondent. While over that span the technology used in radio and other communications has evolved from magnetic tapes, to smartphone blog updates, Lovett said the Church’s primary communications instrument isn’t any particular technology. (By John Stegeman, Catholic Telegraph)