The following comes from an Aug. 15 story on Catholic World Report.
What do the classic movie It’s a Wonderful Life, Jesus Christ, and high school football players with tears in their eyes have in common? Quite a bit, says actor Jim Caviezel, whose new movie, When the Game Stands Tall, opens in theaters nationwide on Friday, August 22.
Caviezel plays Bob Ladouceur, the football coach who led the De La Salle High Spartans of Concord, California to 151 consecutive wins from 1992 to 2004, setting a national record. The accomplished actor—who is known for his powerful portrayal of Jesus in Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ (2004) and who currently stars in the CBS hit drama Person of Interest—can relate to underdog, as well as to struggling sports teams. In a recent phone interview with Catholic World Report, Caviezel recounted a life-changing experience he had as a teenager that included both sports and film.
“I was about 18 years old,” he explained. “I was playing basketball for Kennedy High School in Seattle and we had just qualified to go to the next level and were on our way to the state tournament. … We were selected to play the number-one team in the state. We believed we could beat them. And nobody believed we could beat them. It just so happened that they just released the movie Hoosiers, which was about a small high school team beating a big powerhouse.”
“To make a long story short,” Caviezel recalls, “we saw the movie as a team, we went out and played that team and we played them without fear and we won that game.”
“Years later,” the actor continued, “I reflected on the power of film—what film can do. A film can change the course of a person’s life.”
Caviezel recalls a memorable encounter with “a great teacher,” Jimmy Stewart, the legendary star of It’s a Wonderful Life—a film, Caviezel says, that changed his life.
“Jimmy Stewart had said to me, ‘Make good movies, young man!’ not knowing what I was going to do in my life.”
In When the Games Stands Tall, Caviezel plays a man he considers another great teacher, Coach Bob Ladouceur. Affectionately known as “Coach Lad,” Ladouceur has been inducted into the National High School Hall of Fame and is considered one of the greatest high school football coaches of all time. His impressive record of achievement during his 34 years at De La Salle includes the historic 12-year run of consecutive wins, as well as seven national titles, five CIF Bowl championships, 17 state championships, and 28 CIF North Coast titles….
To read the entire story, click here.
I have always admired Jim Caviezel’s ability as an actor. I am glad he is using those gifts to movies that uplift rather than to sensationalize. I will definitely go and see this movie.
I will probably see this movie to support Jim Caviezel since he is an outspoken man of faith. However, is there no end to the inspiration sports stories?! I guess the truth is, as I’ve heard it said, there are no new stories. We have a certain amount and they get told and retold and told again.
Jim Caviezel had the best portrayal of Jesus that I have seen in the movies or T.V. The others don’t even come close.
Caviezel is a fine actor. And De La Salle has had an exceptional record as a high school football team. One wonders, however, about what these young men are taught regarding Catholic sexual ethics, and morality, generally (particularly given the harsh treatment dished out to other speakers and teachers at various Catholic high schools when they instruct in an orthodox fashion about such things). For example, in CA homosexual marriage — and sexual “rights” generally — are currently supported by almost everyone, including Catholics. Perhaps this is not so surprising, given the widespread embarrassment by leading Catholics, like Cardinal Dolan, concerning speaking out against “gay” issues (it is still painful to read Cardinal Dolan’s “bravo” congratulations to football player Michael Sam for “coming out” recently). It is likely that these
“Catholic” men fail to receive much, if any, accurate Catholic moral teaching and graduate into the world as, well, essentially Protestants. And then, these same men will go on and have families and teach their children to be, well, Protestants. This is the way that a Faith has been destroyed. Just look around. . .
St. Christopher, why don’t you look it up before you ask the question? De la Salle outlines its religious program on its web site:
Religious Studies
The curriculum for religious studies at De La Salle High School consists of a set of courses that will address the key cognitive and affective content areas of theology. Our curriculum emphasizes a lived Christian faith.
Mission
The Religious Studies Department is called by the Bishop of Oakland, and guided by the traditions of the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools and the charism of Saint John Baptist De la Salle to provide religious education for students at De La Salle High School.
The Religious Studies Department is called to promote the Church’s mission of service, with special regard for the poor, the recognition of the God-given dignity of all persons and our common responsibility for the future of humanity.
The Religious Studies Department, in its ministry, is called to educate students in the Catholic Christian Faith and to promote a vital faith life for the entire school community.
Philosophy
The curriculum for religious studies at De La Salle High School consists of a set of courses that will address the key cognitive and affective content areas of theology. Our curriculum emphasizes a lived Christian faith.
Bob One,
Not surprising! Bob One, please stop asking others to just simply believe what a website posts about it’s own school’s curriculum. The Catholic proof is in the authentic pudding of what IS actually being taught in all classrooms. St. Christopher is right when he voices his most charitable concern about what many of today’s Catholic students are really being taught.
You see Bob, even YFC would also say that he emphasizes affective content that emphasize a lived Christian faith.
Bob One, Are you also responsible for helping Lois Lerner’s ‘perfect’ method for hiding emails? The evidence of IRS corruption just keeps piling up too.
Most reviews don’t deal with the religious aspect of the school. This one from yelp does:
De La Salle is excellent at raising men using the teachings of Christ in the Lasallian tradition. Upon graduation the men have received not just a worthy education but spiritual and moral orientation. Each man is fully capable of defining the meaning of success for their own life and live it as they so chose.
The few bad reviews say it is too easy or struggling students don’t get enough help.
For some, it will always be more important to post their reliance on a review from “Yelp” instead of always relying on the authentic teachings of the Catholic Church.
Catherine, OK. I give. You must attend this school. (though I thought it was male only so you must be a male posing as a female)
Please tell us what is actually taught in their classrooms.
Those of us who don’t attend the school have to rely on websites. So please tell us your first hand account of what really goes on.
The school’s Theology Department list Freshman courses like Scripture study, Sophomore year is the Catechism, chapter by chapter, etc. It also says that active learning and discussion is required even if you are not Catholic or don’t believe what is being taught. The course outlines seem to meet the requirement of Catholic education. On the other hand it is hard to tell what is actually said in each class. But hey, lets keep on accusing them of not teaching authentic Catholic religion until we have proof otherwise or as long as we don’t think they are trying hard enough.
‘We no sooner begin a work for the honor and glory of God, than the world at once becomes uneasy, or the devil throws obstacles in the way.’
St. Ignatius of Loyola
Ahhh, “Bob One”: You and “YFC” related? Perhaps with “peter” as well? First, the Christian Brothers is one of the most notorious havens for pro-homosexual outlooks and indiscretions. Second, it is highly unlikely that orthodox Catholicism is taught to anyone at De La Salle, notwithstanding whatever their own words say (and what you produced is simply generalized stuff, without any content — many of the Vatican Ii crowd crow incessantly about how “sensitive” and “pastoral” they are, while producing Catholic dunces). Actually, “Catherine” said it best, particularly about the link to Lois Lerner and the “lost emails”. Logic and honesty has to start somewhere, Bob One.
Well, I am distressed to hear this.
Please give us some examples and how you know this.
Forgive me for asking but as you know the Catholic Church has a lot of enemies both inside and out who seek to portray the Church as a haven for gays molesting kids.
St. Christopher and Catherine, thank you for your posts. The Holy Spirit has removed the “veil” from your eyes and your witness is very important for our brother and sisters to hear. God Bless you both.
Gossip is not reality, nor is it witness, Sandra D.
You can’t witness to something you haven’t seen yourself.
This is not a lifting of the veil.
It is just two people who have a real sour attitude.
Whether you believe this school is a good Catholic education or a bad Catholic education, you will collect gossip or anecdotes that prove your point of view and ignore any evidence to the contrary.
Notice how when someone had evidence that the school was good, Catherine immediately turned to sin and attacked their faith. Evil was revealed when the surface was scratched..
A true lifting of the veil reveals the Lord.
“A true lifting of your veil” would reveal that you selectively undermine (gossip about) the faithful priests who uphold Church teaching regarding homosexuality.
What?
Sandra D,
Thank you!
May loyal Catholics pray for Jim Caviezel. too, and that he continues to make good movies with good moral content as today’s Hollywood has a way of destroying people.
Some folks on this site discount the working of the Holy Spirit……the movie will bring many people to Christ just as Passion of the Christ did a decade ago. “Wherefore by their fruits you shall know them” St. Matthew 7:20