The Catholics in Media Associates' Mass and Awards Brunch March 29 in Beverly Hills gathered 350 entertainment industry professionals --- and a 70-something religious educator who is the real-life inspiration for "Sister James" portrayed in the movie, "Doubt," CIMA's 2009 Film honoree.

The 16th annual event, held at the Beverly Hills Hotel, also bestowed Oscar-winning actor Louis Gossett, Jr. with a Lifetime Achievement Award and gave honors to the CBS/Warner Bros Television/Jerry Bruckheimer Productions television series, "Without A Trace."

Sister of Charity Margaret McEntee, who flew out from New York to accept the award for "Doubt" in place of the film's screenwriter and director John Patrick Shanley (who was unable to attend), told The Tidings before the ceremony she had no idea as a 21-year-old, first-year Catholic school teacher in the Bronx back in the '60s that she was teaching a future award-winning screenwriter/playwright.

Shanley, who won an Oscar for screenwriting the '80s film "Moonstruck," received one of the five Academy Award nominations (Best Screenplay) for "Doubt," adapted from his 2005 Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning Broadway play.

The film, set in 1964 at a Bronx, New York Catholic elementary school concerns the confrontation between a progressive priest (Philip Seymour Hoffman) and a strong-minded principal (Meryl Streep) over the priest's excessive interest in the school's first African-American student. Shanley modeled the boy character's teacher, "Sister James" (Amy Adams), on Sister McEntee.

As a film technical advisor for "Doubt," Sister McEntee counseled Streep and Adams on how to wear the Sisters of Charity's original habit patterned after the widow's garb of their foundress, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton. "When I entered the order, there were 1,200 of us in New York City, and we all wore the black bonnet, the cape and apron," recounted sister, who stopped wearing the traditional habit in 1968 after the Second Vatican Council.

"What I really appreciate is the role that John Patrick Shanley gives to Catholic education and to religious women. He has a very deep appreciation of nuns and sisters," commented Sister McEntee, who, at age 72, serves as a campus minister at all-girls' Notre Dame High School in lower Manhattan where her students affectionately call her "Sister Hollywood."

"In this day and age when there are fewer vocations, and Catholic schools are going through their own little suffering experience, I truly appreciate what John Patrick has done to help us to resurface positively," said Sister McEntee.

Capuchin Franciscan Father Tony Scannell, CIMA chaplain who presided at the concelebrated Mass, stressed in his homily --- referring to the raising of Lazarus, the day's Gospel reading --- that Jesus' query to Martha, "Do you believe that I am the Resurrection and the Life?" is relevant not just for life after death "but now, today and forever" in a broken world where many people are entombed by fears and addictions.

"If we believe in the spirit that God has given each one of us to lift up our world … and don't give up, then we will know those words that gave such joy to Lazarus when Jesus said, 'Untie him,' loose those bonds from whatever tomb you have been buried in and come alive with new life to live, to really live," said Father Scannell.

In selecting its annual film and television awards, CIMA President Marilyn Gill told The Tidings that CIMA looks for content that uplifts the human spirit. "When you look at the ensemble cast of "Without A Trace," even though they're flawed characters and they're working at finding people who are lost --- a lot of time at the expense of their own lives --- they give so much, and you find a core of faith as a common denominator in that series," said Gill.

In assembling a list of Lifetime Achievement Award nominees, she added, CIMA selects people "who are active participants in this industry [as well as] doing a great body of work in their communities. Our awardee this year, Louis Gossett, Jr., is determined and active in working against violence, sexism and racism in our society with his non-profit Eracism Foundation."

On the selection of "Doubt," Gill commented: "Look at the economic times we're living in. Everything around us is screaming doubt. This film really talks about [the clergy sexual abuse] problem that has beleaguered the Catholic Church for years. It meets it head on, and you're left with doubt. It was a perfect film for us this year."

Daughter of St. Paul Sister Rose Pacatte, director of the Pauline Center for Media Studies in Culver city and CIMA member, said while this year's nominating team looked at other films, "'Doubt' just kept coming back very strong, over and over again. I think 'Doubt' is about the humility of uncertainty and the humility of faith. I think it's also a little bit about the dark night of the soul. And these are spiritual realities that we all face every day."