Mary Rose can remember three special transitional moments in her life when she felt called by God to do something:  one was to go to Rhode Island – to join the Regnum Christi movement as a consecrated member after one year at the University of Toronto (she was a consecrated member of Regnum Christi from 1995-1998).  The next one was to go to California – to attend Thomas Aquinas College for her Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts (she went through Thomas Aquinas College’s rigorous program from 1999-2003).  The third one was to quit hopping around the US and go back home to Toronto, Ontario.  She did, partly to be with her family again and partly to follow what she felt in her heart she had to do – to check out Salt + Light Television. in its infancy in the old World Youth Day 2002 office.

She had to ask herself a couple of times why she felt so strongly about working for television, but nothing was really clear.  Sure, she has loved writing stories ever since she was a child growing up in the Philippines.  She also had strange theatrical spurts because of her love for Shakespeare.  In addition, she thought she might have a chance at working for this new station, having been told a few times by people that she has a good voice and a wonderful on-camera presence.  But are all these reasons enough to make it on TV?

That day she visited the S+L office in June 2003 led to a series of interviews, on-camera auditions, and a two-week internship – after which she found herself hired to help put together Salt+Light’s first in-house production, the Salt+Light Magazine.  To succeed in her work, she relied heavily on prayer, the mentorship of great professionals in the field, and her S+L team.  With everyone’s support, she has produced a few TV shows and documentaries, including Journey of Light, Catholic Women’s League:  For God and Canada, and Holy Cows!.  Her most recent project is The World I Know:  Virtues in Action series co-produced with the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board.  Lately, she can be found working on Catholic Focus episodes.

She has discovered many, many things about her faith and her creative abilities since then.  She has also found that she can get so passionately involved in her work and need to have time away once in a while.

Mary Rose Bacani's Filmography

Salt+Light TV Series
• Producer/Host, Salt and Light Magazine (2003-2004)
• Reporter, Salt and Light Catholic News (2005)
• Producer/Host, Vox Clara (2005)
• Producer, Moments in Church History
  -5-minute TV fillers (2005-2006)
• Segment Producer, In Your Faith (2005-2006)
• Producer/Host, Catholic Focus (2005-2006)
• Producer/Host, The Holy Land Experience
  –5-minute TV fillers (2006)

Salt+Light TV Documentaries
• Segment Producer, The Gift of the Lay Movements and New Ecclesial Communities in the Church (2004)
• Producer, The Episcopal Ordination of Bishop Anthony Daniels (2004)
• Director/Writer, Journey of Light (2005)
• Director/Writer, Holy Cows! (2006)
• Writer, Children of the Batey (2006)
• Director/Writer, Coady’s Dream (2006)
• Director/Writer, The Catholic Women’s League - For God and Canada (2006)

Salt+Light TV Specials
• Host, Salt and Light Christmas Special (2003)
• Commentator, World Youth Day Prime Time (2005)

Special Projects
• Director/Writer, Gaetano Gagliano: Laying New Tracks to the Future – promotional video for St. Joseph Communications (2006)
• Director/Writer, The World I Know:  Virtues in Action (2007) – 10-part series (10 - 11 minutes each) co-produced with The Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board (2007)

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