Inspirational media for today's Catholics
Why should Catholics care about the Oscars, or, for that matter, movies in general? As a Catholic film critic, it is a question I have been asked. After all, or so the reasoning goes, Hollywood "hates" organized religion -- and Catholicism with a particular intensity, right? So why should believers give a hoot about an industry that seems intent on mocking and maligning them? What, to paraphrase the early church father Tertullian, has Hollywood got to do with … [Read more...]
WASHINGTON (CNS) — Rare is the priest in the U.S. who holds the title of diocesan exorcist. Rarer still is the priest who is the focus of a book on his training as an exorcist, not to mention that the book has inspired the making of a feature film called “The Rite” — starring Anthony Hopkins, no less. But that’s all become part of the life of Father Gary Thomas, a priest of the Diocese of San Jose, Calif., who is pastor of Sacred Heart Church in Saratoga, … [Read more...]
A dark knight rides forth to slay the dragon … a winged warrior battles foes from the netherworld … a young maiden fights valiantly against swords and prejudices, but loses her life in the end. Silver screen legends? No, these inspirational characters can be found in the pages of "Butler’s Lives of the Saints." In today’s pop culture, the lives of St. George, St. Michael the Archangel and St. Joan of Arc don’t get much attention. Instead, there are stories … [Read more...]
It’s a pleasant surprise to buy a ticket and a bag of overpriced popcorn at the neighborhood megaplex and then watch a film that beautifully illustrates the guiding principles of our faith. The value of life, sacrificial love, the bonds of family and friends, service, compassion, redemption – it’s all there in Bella, a low-key independent film that’s getting a lot of buzz. In the film, we meet: > Nina (Tammy Blanchard), an unmarried waitress dealing with … [Read more...]
While the 2006 release of The Da Vinci Code garnered worldwide publicity and the scrutiny of Christian clergy and religious groups, the film The Omen, released the same summer, flew under the radar of this same scrutiny. Yet like The Da Vinci Code, The Omen uses scriptural references and popular culture images to take viewers on a fictional thrill ride while also distorting the symbols and teachings of the Catholic Church. Furthermore, it uses news clips of real … [Read more...]
Film, like other works of art, not only tells a story, but often reveals truths about the director and the audience for whom it was made. As Baby Boomers struggle to reconcile their aging bodies and comfortable lifestyles, many films about heaven, the afterlife and the meaning of life have graced the silver screen during the past decades. On the whole, these films can tell us a great deal about the society in which we live. For instance, in the last 30 years there … [Read more...]
Strolling into the auditorium after the bell, my daughter’s friends and classmates slowly took their seats. Getting out of regular class for a video presentation was a rare event and they were going to savor every minute. “Your dad is going to talk about The Lord of the Rings films?” they asked Kristin. “Yes” she told them, silently praying that I would not embarrass her in front of her friends. I was saying the same prayer myself. The school’s … [Read more...]
With his red cape rustling in the hot Gulf air, Superman flies low over the collapsed levees. His mighty arms carry a 300-foot-wide, 30-foot tall steel wall, which he carefully slides down into the gaping hole in the levee, turning back the waters. He welds it shut with his heat vision and proceeds to repair the other retaining walls. Then with one giant inhalation into his super chest, he takes in the floodwaters and spews them back into the Gulf, leaving the city to … [Read more...]
Here is a selection of recent releases that might be … Read more
From the publisher Saint Alphonsus Liguori, founder of … Read more
Your church is eligible to receive a free single subscription to New Catholic Books & Media. Each quarterly issue is filled with information about new books, author … [Read more...]