Something struck me while perusing various Catholic reviews of Cabrini, the new biopic of the great missionary saint who served the immigrant poor in New York. The reviewers seemed to admit, tacitly or explicitly, what I observed in my own viewing: the film contains little about God, prayer, or the Catholic faith in general. Yet, oddly, many of these reviewers don’t conclude that this is a fatal flaw in a movie about a Catholic saint.
To be honest, despite the film’s executive producer and director being Catholic, I wasn’t really expecting the Mormon company Angel Studios to distribute an unreservedly Catholic film — one that would feature St. Frances’s deep devotion to the Sacred Heart, for instance. But while it admirably portrays Cabrini spending herself in service to the poor and winning the hearts of young ruffians (in impressive sets conveying old New York), the film is barely even generically Christian in its focus, stressing instead Cabrini’s personal drive (with a heavy feminist accent), social work, and the pervasiveness of anti-Italian discrimination in 19th-century New York (but nothing at all about the accompanying anti-Catholic bigotry).
The story’s trappings of priests, bishops, and habited nuns are, for the most part, mere trappings. Cabrini almost never mentions God even when trying to convince the clergy to support her work, and is virtually never seen praying, even when at a deathbed. At one point she tells her sisters that they can do “all things in Him Who strengthens us”, but far more emphasis is placed on her own strength as a woman….
From Catholic Culture
I am glad that they made a movie about her.
Well, that’s to be expected of a movie whose trailers kept advertising the fact it would come out on “International Women’s Day.” Sigh and sigh again.
It’s actually a coincidence. The studio is trying to take advantage of that in marketing it, not just to us practicing Catholics. Did you see The Sound of Freedom? This studio has produced some good stuff. Let’s try to reach the world with truth, even if one bit at a time. There are plenty of videos for practicing Catholics to watch, but we’re pretty much the only ones who watch such.
The actress looks like a DIE hire.
Wow. That’s harsh. Choosing an Italian to depict an Italian is no example of DEI.
So this movie is just another example of dumbing down Catholicism to being do-gooders. People don’t need God, don’t need to pray, don’t need to attend Mass. They can do good in the world without all that Catholic liturgical and moral baggage and discipline. Nature can be their church. They can be spiritual without being religious. They don’t even have to be spiritual because all that matters is do-goodism.
Such a shame that this movie is perpetuating the modern error of religion as social justice. Salvation has nothing to do with anything anymore. Holiness has nothing to do with anything anymore. Revelation has nothing to do with anything anymore.
Just be nice. Just help people. That’s all. No need for religion. Such a shame.
Mr. Mirus’s review is quite different than that of other Catholic reviewers. I encourage readers here to read other Catholic reviews of the movie. Better yet, go see it and form your own opinion. Are the flaws in the movie “fatal,” as Mr. Mirus thinks? Or, is reaching millions (of non-Catholics) with the story of a Catholic Saint worth omitting some hagiographical matters, even important ones? I guess I’ll form my opinion after seeing the movie and seeing the curiosity of unbelievers who also watch it. Let’s start some real life/in-person conversations after the movie. Who knows where the Lord might lead those and those involved?
Hey, let’s have clowns and felt banners and electric guitars and rain sticks and tambourines at Mass. Reaching millions of people who don’t like Mass is important, so let’s try to be relevant to what they already like. Who knows where the Lord might lead people if we just copy the world?
Why do you get such a fun Mass?
The issue is not Mass here. Who’s for “clowns and felt banners and electric guitars and rain sticks and tambourines at Mass?” I’m not nor are most readers here. Mass is for believers. I and others are for reaching audiences via popular movies that expose them to least some of what the Church is about, contrary to popular media (both entertainment and “news”), which almost always present the Church in a bad light. Worship, catechesis and evangelization are not all the same. Don’t copy the world. But, reach the world for Christ, even if we have to initially capture their interest and move to the fullness of truth from there. I’ve observed many make such journeys. As Saint Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit, wrote, “I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.” (1 Cor. 9:22b-23). This Lent, let’s reflect on the fact that our Lord Jesus did not wait around in the synagogue or Temple for people to come to Him.
Did you see the video of the Mass in Germany at which a clown was dancing in the sanctuary during Communion and a speaker was playing The Chicken Dance while kids in the front row clapped along? All this while the Eucharist was being given to people in line.
Does not invalidate the Mass.
It still violates numerous liturgical rubrics and other instructions as well as good taste and good sense. The threshold for “validity” is very, very low.
A Mass is valid when a validly ordained priest says it. That is not a threshold.
I did notice that the people who posted it online seem to attend illicit Masses.
No surprise. it was produced by Mormons. They have no interest in presenting Christianity, let alone Catholicism.
It is the old Mormon “bait and switch” to get them interested in the Book of Mormon.
And before someone says it, I reply, Mormons are NOT Christians.
The Church does not accept the validity of Mormon baptism. Marrying a Mormon is a bad idea for a Catholic. They have weird beliefs.
According to the intenet, they baptize in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
But they don’t have genuine Christian Trinitarian faith. They believe those are three different gods. Mormons are not Christians.
The Catholic Church does not consider Mormon baptism valid.
https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_20010605_battesimo_mormoni-ladaria_en.html
When I asked the two Mormon missionaries that were sitting in my living room if they had Trinitarian Baptism, I received a blank stare.
They could not even tell me the formula of Baptism that they use.
However, I was told that if i would consent to Baptism in the Mormon Church, that it would be revealed to me.
This really happened.
I had a hard time finding in online on any LDS website.
Did you all forget that she is a canonized Saint. I remember when the movie “Therese” came out. Many Catholics criticized the quality of the movie and that it wasn’t 190% accurate! What people miss is the positive! The fact that movies like this even make it to the Big Screen is nothing short of a miracle. These movies shed grace where otherwise a typical Hollywood movie would be displaying the devils playground. Please think outside the box.
Nonsense.
The Devil has used motion pictures to lure people to him since the beginning of the genre.
By your logic, “The Last Temptation of Christ” was just peachy because the main character was named “Jesus”.
Where there is no Grace, no Grace is shed.
Well, I only liked movies which told the stories of Catholic saints in the old classic movie days, such as “The Song of Bernadette (1943),” and “The Miracle of Our Lady of Fatima” (1952). I also love all of Fr. Patrick Peyton’s religious films. Modern man has lost his sense of worship and respect for God. Modern Catholic filmmakers fail to realize, that authentically religious films will draw and will inspire millions of viewers, and they won’t have to worry about making money– making money is unfortunately a prime goal of theirs. Regarding “Cabrini”– I won’t see it, because they portray this saint wrongly as a sort of Italian “feminist,” worldly “social justice warrior” woman, according to godless, anti-Catholic Death Culture values and beliefs. They do not portray her as a holy nun, on fire with love of God, seeking to bring Christ selflessly to others, and alleviate human suffering. She is a saint, the Bride of Christ. The rest is less important, secondary. A viewer should be inspired by her to love God, not the world– and to give their lives to God in a Christ-like manner, desiring to compassionately alleviate the suffering of mankind for love of Jesus Christ. Many young girls who watch the film, should desire to become Catholic nuns. Many Italian women are very naturally expressive, warm, loving, articulate, and naturally outspoken against injustices– like my own mother. And my own mother, the daughter of Italian immigrants, detested the ugly, unnatural, anti-woman, defacing, inhuman, godless 1960s selfish, political feminist movement– defacing and destroying God-given womanhood, destroying marriage, home and family. And destroying the sacred role of the honor of the Blessed Mother, in the family home. A mature Catholic or Christian woman always defends what is right, and fights evil, very vocally. That is natural and normal to her. She is fiercely loyal to God, family and country. She is a fully-grown, mature woman. In a good marriage, she is a fully-mature woman, and her husband is a fully-mature man. They are both natural equals, the two sexes complement each other– just as God made them.
I loved The Bells of Saint Mary’s with Bing Crosby as the priest and his saintly work with troubled inner-city kids.
Me, too. Wasn’t Ingrid Bergman great, as Sister Mary, too? And loved “Going My Way,” made a few years before “Bells of St. Mary’s,” also.
Tragic. Originally, Bing Crosby was reluctant to play the role of a priest. Bing Crosby’s children (four boys– including two who were twins) by his first wife, Dixie Lee, all later died– two of the boys, including one of the twins, tragically died by suicide. His first wife, an actress (and an alcoholic, tragically) died of ovarian cancer in 1952. Their marriage was always plagued by problems. Dixie Lee was already a well-known star, at the time of their marriage– before Bing Crosby became a big srar. Bing Crosby tried to rectify his wrongdoings as a father, in his second marriage in 1957, at age 53, to actress Kathryn Grant, age 23, in which they were blessed with three children– two boys and one girl. His daughter, Mary Frances, later became an actress. Bing Crosby died of a heart attack at age 74, after playing a game of golf, in Madrid, Spain. Bob Hope and his wife, Dolores, were of course, heartbroken by the news of their friend (and film co-star) Bing Crosby’s death! Bing was raised Catholic, and his first wife, Dixie Lee, converted to the Faith on her deathbed. His second wife, Kathryn, converted to the Faith two years after their marriage. As for Bob Hope– his wife, Dolores, was a devout Catholic, and Bob got involved with her in charity causes for the Church, and later converted to the Faith.
Bells, I would highly recommend the book GOING MY OWN WAY by Gary Crosby
Here’s another negative review of the film from a Catholic source:
https://www.catholicworldreport.com/2024/03/07/cabrini-is-a-beautiful-film-but-lacks-a-catholic-core/
A very good article, from the excellent “Catholic World Report,” founded by Fr. Joseph Fessio.
Catholic Sisters Week March 8-14
That’s not on my liturgical calendar.
My wife and I saw the movie this evening with a couple of Gen Z’ers. We all thought it was well done. I encourage you to see and judge for yourself. It is not a Catholic movie. If you go expecting hagiography or a catechism class video, you’ll be disappointed. That said, the movie had many Catholic elements. This would be similar to writings of Tolkien, Graham Greene, Flannery O’Connor and other Catholics. The movie was positive, inspiring and showed authentic humanity. A good movie reaching a broader audience than us practicing Catholics and presenting religious Sisters (and some others) in a positive light is a good thing. This studio’s Sound of Freedom, also based on a true story, was a good and important movie. And, this studio’s upcoming movie about what happened in Possum Trot, Texas, may be good as well. Though none of these are Catholic, it doesn’t mean they’re not of value. Tired of the trash Hollywood usually puts out? Then, check out these movies.
Would the author rather have people go watch KungFu Panda 4 or Dune2 ? Because that is what they are implying with reviews that lack perspective. One can tell a quality story about a Catholic without it being a “Catholic movie”. One can teach religious truth without invoking religion. The movie was already over 2 hours and an overly Catholic theme would only turn off many from other religious traditions. Observing the crowd size compared to Sound of Freedom, I found it sad that Catholic congregations are not promoting this film due to its less than positive but realistic view of Church hierarchy, and Protestants seem to be avoiding the film due to its Catholic subject matter. Both groups and our culture would highly benefit from the film. I wish the critics would see this bigger picture.