The following comes from an Apr. 17 posting on ThinkingFaith.org.
In the eyes of many, the revelations of the past few years have ruined much of the Church’s credibility. The evils of the abuse perpetrated by priests, professed religious and laity have struck at the very heart of the Church’s identity. The pain and anguish this has caused is perhaps felt strongest in Ireland, not only because of the huge number of scandals that have come to light, but also because of the role of the Church in Irish life and society. The scandals have taken their toll. Mass attendance, generally used as the good judge of both religious belief and trust in the institutional Church, has fallen from 91% in 1972 to 30% in 2011.[i]
Prior to watching Calvary, then, I expected this Irish Film Board-funded film to present a view of the priesthood and of the Church which was entirely negative, without any redeeming qualities. But what the film achieves is much more powerful. By simply showing a faithful priest, the film points to the weakness and failure of other priests who abuse their position and, through their position, other people.
Father James Lavelle is parish priest of a remote village on the west coast of Ireland. He is clearly a talented and clever man – much cleverer than his parishioners and his curate – and shows genuine concern for the people he serves. He isn’t in charge of a wealthy parish: his church is little more than a hall, and his bedroom is sparsely furnished with whitewash walls and no photographs. He is left alone with small children on a number of occasions throughout the film and, while the audience expects some kind of impropriety to take place, nothing happens. The serial adulteress in the village flirts with him and, again, nothing happens. His daughter arrives, but we soon discover she was conceived from his marriage before he entered seminary.
The film is utterly absorbing, mainly because the tension begins to ratchet up almost as soon as the film begins: somebody enters the confessional and tells the priest that he will kill him in a week’s time, giving him a week to put his house in order. It is, as Father James himself says, a pretty startling opening line. Father James knows who the person is; we do not, and so this film is not some kind of tawdry whodunnit. Instead, we follow Father James as he puts his life in some kind of order while continuing to serve his people who are in various stages of moral decay, from extra-marital affairs to paying for rent boys, from drink and drugs to financial collapse. The strength of the acting of these characters is extraordinary….
Director: John Michael McDonagh
Starring: Brendan Gleeson, Chris O’Dowd, Kelly Reilly, Aidan Gillen, Dylan Moran
Certificate: 15 (100 mins)
UK release date: 11 April 2014
To read the original posting, click here.
In the old days, when I was growing up which was way before Vatican II, the priests were held in a special regard, much like the nuns who wore the traditional habit. A man would tip his hat, and we ladies would bow our heads a bit when a priest walked by. We always made sure never to use slang words in front of a priest, or a sister, as we had great respect for them. Because of the Council, and the letting fresh air into the Church, most all this respect is gone. Yet, if the Queen of England came by, we would practice the greatest etiquette. One of the saints said that if an angel and a priest were to walk by, we should honor the priest more, because he is taking the place of Our Lord, Jesus Christ. All of this terrible sexual scandal has greatly contributed to the dishonor that many people have towards the priest. I have seen perfect strangers sneer and jeer at a priest they have never seen before, just because he is a priest. Up until a few years ago, a priest was available for confession and Extreme Unction anytime an emergency would come up. Now, try to get a hold of one when you telephone the rectory. By coming down to our level, not wearing the proper clerical attire, and being one of us. not only has he given up his priestly dignity, he is no longer serving ALMIGHTY GOD, and bringing us closer to the divine by being Christ-like. Ave Marie Purrissima!
Great post, Jesusita. I still try to call priests by their title and last name whenever possible. There was a time in this country when we never called an adult by his/her first name until that person said it was all right. Children were never allowed to call an adult by his/her first name unless he or she was a family member, and then a title such as aunt or uncle was used before the first name. There is something to be said for the old adage, “Familiarity breeds contempt.” Just think of all the presidents and other people in power who would have gotten into much less trouble if they had been a little more formal. Some of them disgraced themselves with too much “familiarity”.
Do you know what “familiarity breeds contempt” actually means?
“Familiarity breeds contempt
English
Proverb
The more acquainted one becomes with a person, the more one knows about his or her shortcomings and, hence, the easier it is to dislike that person. ”
It’s NOT about treating people with contempt simply because we know them.
You are misguided, R.B. Rodda if you believe the faithful didn’t know priests and nuns prior to VII. We did. They came to the house for dinner, house blessings, Advent ceremonies, Baptismal parties, etc, etc, etc. We could come to the parish for work parties, parish carnivals, school meetings, etc. But there was a level of decorum expected on behalf of the religious and the faithful that maintained a respect and reverence that is LOST today.
And one big reason is because private lives are no longer private, rendering dirty laundry dinner conversation.
Exactly!
If ALL Diocese Bishops and ALL Parish Priests would encourage literate Laity (as requested by our most current 3 Popes) to read the Bible and study the “Catechism of the Catholic Church, Second Edition” – people would know their Faith.
Sin abounds when people do not accurately know their Faith, and adhere to it.
1) Does anyone know why most Diocese Bishops do not encourage home study of the Bible and CCC – in the literate USA ?
2) Why the disobedience?
3) Why the continued lack of catechesis for the Laity in the pews, when people could accurately learn their Faith at home?
(Please see quotes from our Popes about the CCC, prior to answering my question.
“What Catholics REALLY Believe SOURCE” – https://whatcatholicsreallybelieve.com/ . )
More Cardinals and Bishops need to rid themselves of the sin of PRIDE, and be more obedient to Holy Scripture and the Doctrine of the Faith.
They need to start encouraging literate Laity to read the “Catechism of the Catholic Church” – so the Laity will know fact from fiction regarding Church teaching.
Of course bad Bishops and bad Priests do not want us to know the truth, so they can propagate their own beliefs and desires.
VATICAN CITY — In another strongly worded message to the Catholic hierarchy, Pope Francis told the Vatican body that vets nominees for bishops that they need to find him better candidates to send to dioceses around the world.”
https://www.religionnews.com/2014/02/27/pope-francis-church-needs-better-bishops-go-find/
Matthew,
Did Pope Francis mean like “Cardinal Donald Wuerl”? Wuerl crucified a priest for protecting the Most Blessed Sacrament from Sacrilege by Lesbian!
May God have mercy on an amoral Amerikca!
Viva Cristo Rey!
Yours in Their Hearts,
Kenneth M. Fisher
Fisher, why don’t you follow the example of ChurchMilitantTV, instead of using every opportunity to knock our Pope?
https://www.churchmilitant.tv/faq/papalcriticism.php
Lou, why not respond to the reality of Cardinal Wuerl and his bagging his own priest for doing what a priest is called to do. It is not Pope Francis that is being knocked so much as the oddity of those who seem to gain his favor.
For as much as Michael Voris may stick to his guns with regard to the Papacy – and he has every right to do so – we here on the ground are the ones who will be literally stuck beneath lame duck Bishops and Cardinals. And those appointments are made at the Vatican.
So while Michael Voris may not want to name names, he puts himself in an odd situation when he castigates weak and/or heretical Bishops who, I’m sorry, did not appoint themselves.
The buck has to stop somewhere.
I’d finish that trinity up with Canon Law.
I know of no diocese that has not encouraged reading both Scripture and the Catechism. Aside from the advise of the Bishops, diocesan programs, parish programs and special events, they also place informational materials in parishes and encourage the laity to seek out websites. I know of parishes that will supply Bibles and Catechisms if one cannot afford them. A lot of lay people also have worked very hard to provide Bible Studies and Catechetical materials to their parishes. If you are in a parish that does not do this please talk to your pastor about all the materials that are available.
As for why the Laity is uncatechized-one word-SLOTH.
Adults are expected to keep learning the Faith after they leave Catholic school, CCD or college. No one should have to spoon-feed it to them. Please stop blaming the bishops. They have made it a priority. In my parish, 22 people out of 3500 parishioners is considered a great turnout. The fault here is really on the individual Catholic.
@Anonymous:
Only two materials are required reading for the literate laity over age 16 –
1) A Catholic Bible;
2) The OFFICIAL ” Catechism of the Catholic Church, Second Edition” –
Go to individual Bishop’s Diocese and Parish web sites in your home State – right now.
Report back and tell the truth.
MOST do NOT encourage people to study the Bible AND study the “Catechism of the Catholic Church, Second Edition” at home.
Many Catholics in the USA have never even heard of the OFFICIAL – CCC (which is printed in many languages).
Most never see anything printed in their parish bulletins to read the Bible and CCC at home.
Adults are not told: “Adults are expected to keep learning the Faith after they leave Catholic school, CCD or college”.
Most Catholics rarely (if ever) hear the Parish Priest encourage them to read the Bible or CCC at home from the pulpit.
If Bishops and Priests did their main job properly (which most do not) – catechesis for the Laity in the pews, there would not be so many Catholic heretics and schimatics today.
If most Bishops and most Priests would do their jobs, the rest of us would not have to do it for them.
My guess would be that you personally do not want people to know the truth of what the Church teaches, so you can spew your own false teachings.
I adhere to everything in the CCC. The Bible is infallible. I do not spew false teachings.
Every parish I have ever been in and every diocese I have ever been in there were great efforts to have the Bible and CCC read and understood.
Just because it isn’t on the diocesan website doesn’t mean they don’t do it. Last year, every Catholic was supposed to read the CCC and almost every diocese had Year of Faith links on their websites.
You falsely accused me and you falsely accused the Church. Please try to be more careful.
Please provide the links to each Diocese within your State that actively and prominently encourages the Laity to read the “Catechism of the Catholic Church, Second Editon” at home.
The Bishop’s web sites are the main means of communicating with the Laity in their Diocese on a regular basis.
The same is true of their Parish web sites.
I still refer to parents or former teachers of when I was a child to Mrs. so and so or Mr. so and so!
I would NEVER think of calling them by their first name, NEVER!
And as far as Priests go….it’s always Father.