Polish priest Fr Jerzy Popieluszko

Polish feature film about Blessed Father Jerzy Popieluszko. This is the trailer with English subtitles,
director Rafał Wieczyński, soon in theaters in Europe.

A story of a martyr Priest for freedom of Poland, beatified June 6, 2010 in Warsaw.
He was charged with "Abuse of freedom of conscience" by the Russian Communists UB [secret service] regime in Poland.
He was thrown into the boot of a car which was driven into Vistula River. It took several days to discover his beaten body.

His martyrdom had a huge impact on liberation of occupied under communist Central and
Eastern Europe, especially Poland.

Book Review: "Where do Priests Come From?"

Where Do Priests Come From?

by Elizabeth Ficocelli
Waterford, MI: Bezalel Books, 2010

From a child's perspective, priests can sometimes seem very mysterious. After all, they dress differently and live differently and do different things than all of the other people in their lives. It can be hard to imagine that they were once little boys. Elizabeth Ficocelli has written a charming, informative book "Where do Priests Come From" which attempts to answer many of the questions children might have about priests and the lives they lead.

Ficocelli talks about how priests are called by God to the priesthood, how they may have dreamed of being an astronaut or a doctor or a fire-fighter, but one day they heard a quiet voice in the hearts inviting them to become a priest and they said "Yes." She discusses the discernment process and the time in seminary. She mentions the different types of priests and the vows they take. She mentions the long list of ways that they minister to other people, but also emphasizes that they are still people who also have a need to relax and enjoy hobbies. They also sometimes make mistakes and need to go to confession (this was the fact that my own two sons were most surprised by!)

This book is intended for young boys to encourage them to think about becoming a priest. As such, it is a great vocation tool. Ficocelli has done a wonderful job with this book. One can only hope that there will be a companion volume for girls: "Where Do Sisters Come From?"

Reviewed by Patrice Fagnant-MacArthur
http://spiritualwomanthoughts.blogspot.com

Happy 50th Anniversary, Fr Benedict Groeshel

A moving video tribute to Fr Benedict Groeschel, on his 50th anniversary of the priesthood is up at the OSV blog. The video is produced by Catholic independent filmakers,  Grassroots Films, who brought us "Fishers of Men" and "The Human Experience".
STO LAT Fr Groeschel.

Register Top Ten Movies to See for the Year of the Priest

On June 19, the Vatican will start the yearlong celebration of the Year of the Priest, so naturally, the National Catholic Register, which always engages the media, had some sugggested films. See which ones you have seen, and make a note to rent the ones you have missed.
Here's my to see list:
The Keys of the Kingdom (1944)
On the Waterfront (1954)
Molokai: The Story of Father Damien (1999),
Angels With Dirty Faces (1938)
Of those six films I've seen, my favorites are I Confess for sheer cliffhanging, dark, Hitchcock drama, and The Mission for it's sublime acting(Jeremy Irons and Robert De Niro-as a priest!), sweeping story line, stunning cinematography, and of breathtaking score. Though there's tough competition in The Scarlet and the Black with Christopher Plummer as a Nazi and dashing Gregory Peck as Msgr Flaherty, the Irish priest who was known as the "Scarlet Pimpernel of the Vatican". But of course, who couldn't use a revisiting of dear Fr O'Malley in Going My Way and The Bells of St Mary's?
If your only memories of a priest portrayed in the movies are the negative or wimpy images which have been produced lately(Mass Appeal-puleeze!, get to the video store and get yourself an armload of these films to share with the kids.
Films with positive portrayals of religious were instrumental in shoring up my childhood faith. I was lucky enough to grow up at the end of the golden era when Hollywood idealized Catholicism (note that most these films are in black and white). While The Singing Nun for example, as per contractual agreement, was not truly based on the life of Soeur Sourire (thank heavens-there's a realistic French film which does this and it was a nightmare) however, it was a wonderful portrayal of the joy of a religious vocation, even as The Nun's Story was a fair portrayal of it's challenges. As a teacher in a convent school this year, I was able to laugh at the over the top yet tender portrayals of the Hayley Mills in The Trouble with Angels ( I just found a DVD of this at Wal-mart in the bargain bin). Don't bother with the sequel, the nuns go Vatican II with guitars and flowers, and the result is pathetic.
What's your favorite portrayal of a priest or nun in Hollywood?
Would you add to this list?
Read the entire article here.

The Catholicism Project

Anyone who reads about the Catholic Church in the mainstream media knows that we are in serious need of a public relations expert. God knows this, and He has a plan. Enter Fr Robert Barron, professor at Mundelein Seminary and preacher from Word on Fire Ministries. I recently attended a childrens' birthday party where the enthusiastic hostess insisted her guests watch his DVD Seven Deadly Sins in the midst of hyped up kids on cake. I was riveted. Fr Baron is that good. See his video review of Grand Torino which I posted here.

Now, add film from locations around the world, including the Holy Land, and The Catholicism Project is looking truly extraordinary.
For this world-spanning, all-encompassing series, Father Barron is telling the story not chronologically but in essential themes. Everything works toward his second equally important goal: “to evangelize the culture using the riches of the Church. We weave in a lot for artwork because the greatest artwork in the Western world is about Christianity.”
Pope John Paul II was a big influence on him. Father Barron explains that “after the [Second Vatican] Council there was bad formation in Catholicism. Frankly, my generation has been taught a watered-down Catholicism.”
Consequently, he wants to re-educate and reintroduce people to the faith intellectually and visually, and then to reach out beyond the Catholic world and evangelize the culture.
Read the entire story on the National Catholic Register blog.

Sony's new group; The Priests

Three Irish parish priests have one love besides the Lord; traditional Catholic music. Father Eugene O'Hagan, Father Martin O'Hagan, and Father David Delargy have been singing together since childhood but never took their talent seriously until their studies brought them to Rome. Now they have signed a contract with SONY and may be the next big religious hit since the "Chant" CD topped the European charts.
Listen to their rendition of Ave Maria and O Holy Night and visit their website here. Their superior musical gift is apparent, and traditional arrangements reflect their background in Church history. They are authentic and uniquely talented to re-present traditional music at a time when the Traditional Mass is making a comeback. I wish them every success, and will be looking forward to their first New York concert.