England hasn't won yet. And who knows, Australia may yet miraculously win this thing, especially with first innings hero Ashton Agar still at the crease with Brad Haddin after being promoted to Number 8 in the order.
But England is well on top, and there's a pretty simple reason why. In short, England is more disciplined than us. They bowl a little straighter, play fewer loose shots at the crease and generally look to have more of a plan.
Forget all the controversies over the Decision Review System (DRS). The system is not so much a dog's breakfast as a complete canine smorgasbord, but its idiosyncrasies impact both teams more or less equally.
England is not on top because of umpiring, or a lack of it. England is on top because it is playing better cricket.
Australia started well in its chase of 311 last night. But after an opening partnership of 84, England skipper Alastair Cook strangled Australia. He set intelligent fields which denied easy runs and his bowlers backed him up with devilishly miserly bowling.
When England's third-pick seamer Steve Finn came on to bowl in the 29th over, he handed the struggling and hitherto scoreless Ed Cowan a wide ball which the opener cut to the boundary. It was a single loose moment, a minor blip.
But Cook looked ropeable. England has given Australia nothing for free this match, barring the bizarre couple of hours during which Ashton Agar inverted the cricketing universe.
By contrast, the Aussie bowlers have had their foot on and off the pedal like a motorist in peak hour traffic. Pressure, then release, pressure then release. A bad tone was set by a woefully loose James Pattinson effort in the very first over of the match, and Mitchell Starc's second over wasn't much better.
Last night, Starc was at it again. His first ball was so wide and high, it almost killed his captain at first slip before skittling down the boundary. It wasn't quite Mitchell Johnson circa 2009, but it was a fair impression.
Australia has actually played well in patches in this match. And unlike in India where the team crumbled worse than the local pitches, this team has shown grit. Clearly it is a much happier bunch under Lehmann, and probably enjoying not having to hand in homework sheets each night.
But England's class is showing. England is playing just a touch smarter too. It was hard to work out why Cook employed a short mid-wicket fieldsman while Chris Rogers was batting. Hard to work out, that is, until Rogers unexpectedly lofted a ball straight to him.
England has done the sort of homework that really matters in matches like this. It should be enough to have them one-up in the series tonight, and possibly even before bedtime.
By Julie Rattey
What price would you pay for freedom? In “For Greater Glory” (releasing June 1) which tells the story of the real-life martyrs and heroes of the 1920s Cristero War, which arose in response to government oppression of Catholicism in Mexico, each of the characters must answer this question. This April, actors from the film, along with director Dean Wright, met with media outlets including Catholic Digest to discuss the film and, in many cases, their personal Catholic faith. The questions are from Catholic Digest and other media outlets. Please note that the content contains some spoilers.
Born in Mexico City, Kuri is a newcomer to film. His first movie role was in 2011’s La Leyenda del Tesoro (The Legend of the Treasure).
What did you do to prepare for this role?
I had a biography of José, and it was a really cool book because it told me a lot of José’s story. And also, before each scene, I listened to dramatic music — Coldplay. (Laughter)
When you’re playing a saint, or someone who would become a saint, how important is it to keep his feet on the ground, to play the human being, not the icon?
José’s role is amazing. He really was a 14-year-old — I’m 14 — and he wanted to join the Cristero army, he wanted to fight for God, and for his freedom, so that made me think a lot of stuff, because if he was 14 and he would give his life for Christ, would I have done the same thing in those times? I was thinking of that, so I [talked] with a spiritual guide, with a Father, and I told him about this and he started talking with me about the Bible, and about religion. And I went to missions to help people in need in Mexico, and it was amazing, it was just beautiful. So that got me more close to my religion, and it was really great.
Did the cast and crew get together to go to Mass or Adoration or anything as you were putting together the movie?
Yes, there was Mass every day during the movie in the place where the Cristero camp is. There was a Father there, and they celebrated Mass, the cast (members) who were Catholic.
As you are Catholic yourself, what did it mean to you to play someone who made such a sacrifice for his faith?
Well, it represented a big challenge and a big responsibility, but it was just beautiful, you know, because he is a martyr, and he gave his life for Christ, and he’s Mexican. And I thought, Why do people not know about him, because his life is beautiful? I have him here (removing from beneath his T-shirt a necklace with a picture of José). This is the real José, you see? His story is just amazing. This little chain is from Sahuayo — the place where they killed him. I think the world needs to know about him.
Are you in school?
Yes, I’m in eighth grade in Mexico. It’s a bilingual school.
Are your friends jealous of you for being an actor and being famous now? How has that changed your social life?
Well, there are some guys that reacted different, but almost all of my friends supported me.
How did the girls react?
I made a lot of new friends. (Laughter) But I’m single. (Laughter)
How did you prepare for the really emotional scenes, besides the Coldplay?
I asked for tips from Peter O’Toole. He was really close to me. He referred to me as “my mate.” He gave me some tips from his acting school, the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. I want to study there.
As you were working on this movie, did you have any idea that it would be released on the heels of Pope Benedict coming and visiting the shrine of these martyrs?
I had no idea, but I think God acts in mysterious ways. CD
To learn more about the film, visit ForGreaterGlory.com.
To read more interviews from this film, click here.
By Julie Rattey
Years ago, as a college senior, Colleen Carroll Campbell was a bit of a disillusioned party girl. But a Christmas gift from her dad helped spark a faith journey that brought her to Rome this past March to cover Pope Francis’ election as an anchor for EWTN. Campbell, whose varied career has included everything from speechwriting for former President George W. Bush and writing books to uncovering corruption as an investigative reporter, spoke to Catholic Digest about the surprises of the papal election, her new TV show, and her hopes for her three young children.
You covered the conclave from Rome for EWTN (Eternal Word Television Network). On TV, we can see the smoke and hear the roar of the crowd as the new pope emerges. But what does the TV miss? Tell us what it’s like to experience those elusive moments in person.
Well, it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience and a great honor. We were perched right on the roof of the Patristic Institute Augustinianum. The terrace overlooks St. Peter’s Square, and we could see the bells, we could see the balcony where Pope Francis emerged, and we could hear the crowd and see the flashbulbs from so many cameras. We got a very visceral sense of the excitement and energy in Rome when the entire Church and world were awaiting this new pope. It was a phenomenal experience as a journalist and as a Catholic—and even more so as a mother, because I was able to be there with my husband, John, and our three children.
What were some of the things you did as a family?
We were able to attend Pope Francis’ audience with journalists together. We had a front-row seat. We were joking that our three-year-old twins probably thought that seeing the pope was old-hat because they’d seen him about three or four times in one week. I know some of it they probably won’t remember, but I do think the grace of that experience for our whole family is something that will stay with us for a long time.
The election of Pope Francis came as a surprise to some. What was going through your mind when you heard the announcement?
Well, it was a surprise in many ways. At the same time, when you saw him emerge on that balcony, there was a real sense of poise. I saw a man who seemed very much at peace with the new role he was being thrust into. And his call to prayer: When that roaring crowd suddenly went silent and hundreds of thousands of people bowed their heads to pray, there was a real sense that this was the man for the moment. I think the Holy Spirit has surprises in store for us as a Church sometimes, and I think that can be a good and healthy thing.
What was the most meaningful moment for you during your coverage?
Well, obviously being able to announce to millions of EWTN viewers who the new pope was that night was quite meaningful, and being able to anchor the coverage through those historic moments was phenomenal.
As for my most memorable moment, it occurred when it was all over, just as I had concluded anchoring the Installation Mass on the Feast of St. Joseph, March 19, and we had just gone off the air. It was a beautiful, sunny day, and as those huge bells of St. Peter’s began to peal, I looked over that balcony and saw the swarms of pilgrims coming out of the basilica. I could see the cardinals, the bishops, and the sisters, and all the different colors and costumes of people from around the world. I could hear the singing and see some of the banners, and there was just a real sense of joy. And I was really touched in that moment that I had been given the grace to be part of all of it. It was a tangible reminder of what grandeur and beauty there is in our Faith, and how much there is to celebrate about being Catholic, especially in a time when we can get beleaguered and feel as if it’s all an uphill battle.
This summer you’re taking on a new role as anchor of EWTN News Nightly with Colleen Carroll Campbell, which will broadcast live from Capitol Hill. Tell us more about the project and what you hope to bring to viewers.
It’s going to be EWTN’s first-ever newscast. We hope to bring mainstream news and commentary to viewers across the English-speaking world five nights a week. I’m very excited about the team that’s being assembled and the mission of the show. Our goal is to be a show that helps viewers make sense of the world from a Catholic point of view.
As you describe in My Sisters the Saints: A Spiritual Memoir (Random House/Image, 2012), there was a time when you struggled with living out your faith. Could you tell us a little about your faith journey?
Sure. I was raised in a devout Catholic home. But like a lot of young Catholics, I hit a point during my college years when my faith became very compartmentalized. I remember coming home after a long night out, looking around at the detritus of the party scene and thinking about my own life, which had become so much about material concerns—popularity, grades, success. I was realizing that following the world’s recipe for success had left me less happy and less liberated than I had ever been.
I stayed in that spot of relative confusion for about a year. Then, when I was home for Christmas break my senior year, my dad gave me a biography of St. Teresa of Ávila. I intended to toss it on the back of the bookshelf with all the rest of the religious books I didn’t have time to read, but I was bored and had nothing better to do. I opened the book and was immediately captivated. Here was a woman, essentially a recovering party girl herself, who had struggled for the better part of 40 years between her desire to seek worldly approval and pleasure and her desire to be intimate with Jesus and be holy. And I could recognize elements of that same struggle in my own life.
With Teresa, I saw what could happen in a woman’s life if she ever really took God and the quest for holiness seriously. It inspired me and launched me on the rest of that faith journey. Women saints began to be an important part of my life. One after another, I met them at crucial moments when I was in the midst of confusion or desolation, and they pointed me toward answers and peace.
One of those difficult moments was when you found out that your father had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. In the book, you talk about how St. Thérèse of Lisieux helped you cope. Could you tell us more?
St. Thérèse didn’t appeal to me immediately. She seemed like a big goody-two-shoes. But I came across Dorothy Day’s little monograph called Therese, and from there I read Story of a Soul. What most struck me was that Thérèse’s father had struggled with dementia. I was discovering Thérèse on the heels of learning that my own father had been diagnosed with dementia, toward the end of my senior year. She really got how horrifying dementia is, and at the same time, as she watched her father begin to deal with forgetfulness, have bouts of weeping, and even for a period be confined to a mental institution, she saw him becoming increasingly conformed to the image of the crucified Christ. Redemptive suffering is a fundamental Catholic teaching that my father had emphasized to me throughout my life. I was watching that with my father, and with Therese’s help, I could make much more sense of it. She came to be very important to me throughout his illness.
Aside from your work for EWTN and your spiritual books, your credits include investigative reporting and speechwriting for George W. Bush. What are one or two of the most meaningful secular projects you’ve worked on and why?
If I could wrap my secular newsroom experience into one experience, it’s that having that background has been very valuable. I think God has used it to prepare me for some of the things I’ve gone on to do in different realms. Certainly it’s helpful professional training, but also it’s given me an awareness of how the Church is often perceived. I think sometimes we tend to think of everything as “us versus them,” especially when looking at mainstream media outlets that seem—and often are—very hostile to the Church, but it’s important to remember there are human beings in those outlets. I’ve learned that a lot of times ignorance drives some of the faulty coverage. Also, in many cases, we as Catholics need to learn to tell our story better. Having been in both secular journalism and the Catholic media, it’s inspiring to bring my experiences from one into the other.
You and your husband have three children. What are some of your favorite ways to celebrate your faith as a family?
Obviously we do the expected Catholic things like going to Mass and saying a blessing before meals. The saints have become very important to our family’s spirituality. Our children all have patron saints in their names: we have a John Patrick, a Mary Rose Therese, and a Clara Colleen. We talk a lot about the saints, and we read about them. Today we visited the Poor Clare Monastery here in St. Louis; I brought the children so they could talk to the sisters through the grille and learn a little about St. Clare.
We pray together, too. It tends to be pretty informal, as my children are three, three, and one, but they definitely have the concept of turning to Jesus in times of need.
It’s beautiful to see how already at this age—or maybe especially at this age—they have that openness to the faith. I hope they always preserve that wonder and innocence, as well as the joy of our Catholic Faith. Because if we teach them all of the rules and we don’t impart a sense of the joy of a relationship with Jesus, we’ve missed the boat. That’s something we’re trying to emphasize in our own walk. At the end of the day, what it all comes down to is what we witness to our children.
Managing Editor Julie RatteyJulie Rattey is a Boston-based writer and editor. She is the author of If I Grew Up in Nazareth, available from 23rdPublications.com.By Julie Rattey
What price would you pay for freedom? In “For Greater Glory” (releasing June 1) which tells the story of the real-life martyrs and heroes of the 1920s Cristero War, which arose in response to government oppression of Catholicism in Mexico, each of the characters must answer this question. This April, actors from the film, along with director Dean Wright, met with media outlets including Catholic Digest to discuss the film and, in many cases, their personal Catholic faith. The questions are from Catholic Digest and other media outlets. Please note that the content contains some spoilers.
Academy Award-nominated actor Andy Garcia is known for films including Modigliani, Ocean’s Eleven, and The Godfather: Part III. He made his directorial debut with The Lost City. Born in Havana, Garcia was only 5 ½ when his family fled to Florida following Fidel Castro’s takeover of Cuba.
There are people still alive who have connections to people who fought with the Cristeros (“soldiers of Christ”), and I wonder what kind of gift do you think this film is to those people.
I got a letter from the granddaughter of Gorostieta. She was very emotional in watching the film and in the fact that the film honored her grandfather. She felt that for many years, his endeavors, his commitment to this fight never really received any credit because the story was very taboo in Mexico. People don’t really know about it because nobody really wanted to talk about it, therefore anybody who fought in it, no one’s going to talk about that either, so the Gorostieta name and his journey within the Cristero War fell under the rug with the rest of the story. She felt that finally her grandfather’s journey and his efforts — this movie has brought them to light. She sent me an excerpt from a letter that he wrote home to his wife Tulita, which, paraphrasing, said, “I know that we’ve spent all this time apart, and because of the cause that I’m fighting, I might not ever see you again, but what I am sure of is that the Gorostieta name will always be preserved for our children.”
Is there a Spanish-language version of the film, because the fact that it’s in English means that the audience in Mexico…
No, they saw it in subtitles, and it broke all records there. It’s like the second highest-grossing film after Titanic in Mexico. It’s a universal story, it’s not specifically made only for the Mexican people, although it was produced in Mexico and financed in Mexico. It’s a movie for the world. It’s a story that needs to be told.
How do you think this film has contributed both to your career and to your personal faith?
It was a great privilege to do the story because it’s a beautiful story, and I had great actors to work with and great designers and technicians, and I was in these extraordinary locations having the great honor portraying this character and leading this army.
You don’t have to be a man of faith, or a Catholic, for that matter, to be in this movie, nor do you have to be one to see the movie. What’s important is that it’s a beautiful film, and it’s an important story to tell, and that’s why I did it. I am a man of faith, but that’s not the reason why I made the movie. If it was a terrible script, I wouldn’t have done it.
Was your faith deepened by participating in the project?
No, it was deep enough already. (laughter)
There are certain parallels to this movie to my own life, obviously, because I come from a country where religious freedom for many years was completely taken away; absolute freedom was taken away from the Cuban people. So it’s an easy cause for me to champion, because to me it’s more about absolute freedom of the human being.
What was the most challenging aspect of the role for you, and the most rewarding?
The, ah, roundtable interviews. (laughter)
How about during the actual filming? Besides riding on horseback, unless you’d had experience with that.
I’ve ridden before for other films, but I hadn’t in a long time, so I had to get back in the saddle again.
You know, how do you get underneath the skin of someone like this, and his journey, and try to find the parallels and the emotional depth and the stakes of what he’s going through to really bring an organic truth to what you’re doing and really experience him to honor that character? The challenge of the actor is always to try to fulfill that.
The horseback riding’s a technical thing. You know, if you’ve ridden before, you practice a little while, and then, you know, you have beautiful horse, you’ve got a great hat, and you’ll be fine. (laughter) But it’s really the emotional side of it, and having to do it sometimes in adverse situations, having to explore the depths of these very painful things at times, for a sustained amount of time. But what’s more painful is not being able to go through it, and being stifled. If doesn’t happen, you never had the actual emotional catharsis, and the fact that you weren’t able to deliver the scene is even more painful.
So was that then also the most rewarding part of doing that role — actually going through that process?
Yeah, well, living the character. I mean, it’s a great privilege to be called upon to play a character like this in a movie that was so important to so many people. You want to honor him, to bring him to life for people. He deserves to be recognized for what he committed to, and whether you’re religious or not is indifferent; it’s really about absolute freedom, and fighting the good fight. CD
To learn more about the film, visit ForGreaterGlory.com.
To read more interviews from this film, click here.
By Robyn Lee
If you are a fan of the popular Broadway musical Les Misérables, than you will love the motion-picture adaption of Victor Hugo’s novel which hits screens on Christmas Day. I had the opportunity to see an early preview of the film and talk with the director and several of the actors.
The tale follows the life of ex-prisoner Jean Valjean (Hugh Jackman) who is released from prison after 19 years for stealing a loaf of bread. Even though he is on parole, Valjean is shunned by everyone because of his ex-convict status. He struggles to find lodging, food and work. It isn’t until the Bishop of Myriel of Digne (played by Colm Wilkinson, who was the original Jean Valjean in London and on Broadway) shows him mercy by offering him shelter and a warm meal.
After dining with the Bishop, Valjean decides to steal the bishop’s silver in the middle of the night. Valjean is soon caught and returned to face the bishop. The police accuse Valjean of theft, but the bishop insists he gave the silver to Valjean as a gift and even adds: “but my friend you left so early, surely something slipped your mind. You forgot I gave these also. Would you leave the best behind?” The bishop hands Valjean precious silver candlesticks and saves him from returning to prison — these candlesticks are a symbol of his redemption and show up throughout the entire film.
The bishop then advises Valjean, “but remember this my brother. See in this some higher plan, you must use this precious silver to become an honest man. By the witness of the martyrs. By the passion and the blood. God has raised you out of darkness. I have bought your soul for God.”
Valjean is left with his thoughts and asks, “why did I allow that man to touch my soul and teach me love? ... My life he claims for God above. Can such things be?” He is conflicted between the anger he feels from being in prison and the kindness he received from the Bishop. Ultimately Valjean decides to start a new life by leaving his identity of Jean Valjean behind.
Talking about the character Jean Valjean, Hugh Jackman says, “I see him as a real hero. Quiet and humble … Jean Valjean comes from a place of the greatest hardship that I could never imagine and manages to transform himself from the inside … Victor Hugo uses the word transfiguration, it is even more than a transformation because he becomes more Godlike, it is a spiritual change, it is something that happens from within. To me it is the most beautiful journey ever written.”
The song “What Have I Done” is shot very close on the face of Hugh Jackman. I’ve seen the play three times on Broadway and I never thought of this song as a conversation with God. With the angle so close and seeing the agony on the actor’s face, I recognized this song for what it is: a deep prayer to God. Director Tom Hooper explained why he shot in close-up for many scenes: “Having the camera do a meditation on the human face was, by far, the best way to bring out the meaning and the emotions of the songs.”
Another important way of capturing the emotion in the moment, is the unique element of the actors singing live. Tom Hooper explained, “What excited me was the idea of doing it live. I don’t think I would have done it if it turned out not to be possible to direct the film live, because no matter how good the synchronization is of actors singing to playback, an audience can tell that there’s something unreal about it. It doesn’t feel connected to what is occurring on the screen.”
This is especially captured in the song, “Who Am I” when we see the turmoil of Jean Valjean when he discovers that the police arrested a man, thought to be him. Valjean struggles with the idea of sending an innocent man to prison. In this scene, while he questions whether he will be condemned for staying silent, we see two signs of his redemption — the crucifix and the silver candlesticks. He asks: “Must I lie? How can I ever face my fellow man? How can I ever face myself again? My soul belongs to God, I know I made that bargain long ago. He gave me hope when hope was gone. He gave me strength to journey on.”
There are many Catholic themes throughout the entire film, including the score. Eddie Redmayne, who plays Marius, talks about the beauty of the lyrics, “relating to Claude-Michel’s (Schönberg) score — that tune that Colm Wilkinson, as the bishop, sings to Hugh at that moment in which God is placed into Jean Valjean’s life for the first time — how that recapitulates throughout the piece. And the bit when I saw the film that absolutely stunned me was when Hugh and Isabelle (Allen) are running away from Javert (Russell Crowe) and they come into the convent and you suddenly hear these nuns singing that piece — and it’s suddenly a choral piece. This idea that Tom (Hooper) has woven in religious imagery throughout the piece, but suddenly to hear this music in an ecclesiastic setting that’s something transcendental that hit me in that moment.”
Les Misérables is a story of right and wrong, the cross and redemption, forgiveness and God’s mercy. The culmination of this theme reveals itself in the final scenes when an old Jean Valjean again lifts up his prayer to God, “God on high, Hear my prayer, Take me now to thy care. Where you are, let me be. Take me now. Take me there. Bring me home.”
This magnificent film is a beautiful portrayal of God’s mercy and love. We are left singing that final line “to love another person is to see the face of God."
I can’t wait to see it again. Do you plan to see it? Once you do, I would love to hear your comments. (Click "add a comment" at the top of the page).
Les Misérables is rated PG-13: for suggestive and sexual material, violence and thematic elements.
Robyn LeeRobyn Lee is Managing Editor of Catholic Digest.By Julie Rattey
What price would you pay for freedom? In “For Greater Glory” (releasing June 1) which tells the story of the real-life martyrs and heroes of the 1920s Cristero War, which arose in response to government oppression of Catholicism in Mexico, each of the characters must answer this question. This April, actors from the film, along with director Dean Wright, met with media outlets including Catholic Digest to discuss the film and, in many cases, their personal Catholic faith. The questions are from Catholic Digest and other media outlets. Please note that the content contains some spoilers.
After a successful career as a singer and as an actor in Mexican telenovelas and Hollywood films, Verástegui had a change of heart about his lifestyle and career choices that led him to co-found Metanoia Films and play the male lead in the pro-life movie “Bella.”
"For Greater Glory" deals with religious freedom. Was that something that drew you to this project?
Yes, for sure. I got very passionate when I [learned about] this dark period of Mexico when more than 200,000 people died in very horrible ways. I’m from Mexico; we’re very used to celebrating the beauty of our country. But at the same time, I learned that the reason why public schools were not taught all these historical facts was because it was an embarrassment for the government, and it was like this wound; it was almost like, “Let’s bury this; nothing happened, and let’s move forward.” And I thought, It should be the opposite. Let’s bring the wound out, let’s heal it, let’s go back in history, let’s learn from the mistakes that we commit so we don’t do it again in the present. And at the same time, let’s show some of the heroes of Mexico who were not afraid to stand for something bigger than themselves, to the point that they gave their life and became martyrs for what they believe, and especially for what they were fighting for at the time, which was religious freedom.
I think it’s a beautiful, positive message where we have to take responsibilities and stand for something that we believe, especially when the government wants to take away religious freedom from the people in many countries. Let’s learn from the past — that’s what history’s for.
Do you have any stories about the making of this film you’d want to share?
I could write a book about these experiences; there are so many. As an actor, to do the scene where he gets killed (was a powerful experience), only because it’s impossible not to ask myself, Are you willing to die for your faith? Am I willing to die for something bigger than myself? To be tortured, to become a martyr? And of course, humanly, I would say “No.” But then, you know that they received a supernatural strength and graces that helped them in a way that is not logical.
When you see this character — Blessed Anácleto González Flores — for him to find, through his wisdom and his intelligence, ways of fighting back with peaceful means, that’s amazing, at least for me, because I have to find those peaceful means every day in my daily life, when I’m facing problems with friends or family members or my career. That’s why I always like as an actor to be involved with projects where the characters are big heroes, so I can learn from them, so by the time I finish the film, I feel I’ve become a better person. I put into practice the virtues I’ve learned from them, so they become like my older brothers. And I hope audiences will leave with that treasure for themselves as well.
You’ve said that prayer is an important part of your life. What role did prayer play for you in your preparation for the role and in your playing of the role?
Prayer for me is like the oxygen of the soul. It helps me to see things with clarity, especially when I’m under a lot of pressure and I have a lot of projects and things going on and problems. If I don’t have those moments of silence in prayer, I just go crazy. It gives me the strength I need just to keep walking, and so when I’m facing temptation, I can be victorious; otherwise, if I don’t have the strength, I will completely fail. And so prayer for me is one of the most important things in my life. It’s the center of my life; it carries me. In anything that I do, I always want to start with a prayer so I can at least try to do my best and ask God to help me to become a better person, a better son, a better brother, a better friend, a better business partner, a better everything, and become the person He wants me to be.
Verástegui on playing a hero:
Anácleto González Flores, one of the Mexican heroes, is a true inspirational role model for me and called the Mexican Gandhi because he was a peacemaker. When he found out that the government wanted to take away the religious freedom, he, in a very wise way, started defending [religious freedom] but with peaceful means; he was against fighting back with violence. He was a man who was not just talking but actually gave his life, and the last words that came out of his mouth in real life were “Viva Cristo Rey.” In the movie you just hear his words of love and forgiveness, which actually were there too in real life. He forgave the people who killed him.
For me, it’s a challenge, you know? I think I received more from him than what I gave to him in the movie. He has changed so many people, including my own life, and I hope when people see this film, [they] will learn from all these Mexican martyrs.
His hopes for audiences seeing the film:
My hope is when people see For Greater Glory that they will leave, of course, entertained, but more important, with a spark in their heart and not afraid to be heroes. I hope that they will leave wanting to be a better person, I hope that they will leave wanting to love more and judge less, I hope they will leave inspired to do the right thing, and especially [that they will leave understanding that] there is nothing more beautiful than to fight for something bigger than yourself, and to be willing to die to yourself to serve that cause, religious freedom, and to learn from the mistakes of the past. CD
To read Catholic Digest’s latest in-depth interview with Verástegui, and more coverage of the film, see the June/July issue of Catholic Digest. For more material from Catholic Digest’s interview not featured in the print issue, click here.
To read Catholic Digest’s 2008 interview with Verástegui, click here.
To learn more about the film, visit ForGreaterGlory.com.
To read more interviews from this film click here.
By Robyn Lee
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is the first of a trilogy of films directed by Peter Jackson opening in theaters December 14th. The film follows the adventures of the character Bilbo Baggins from J.R.R. Tolkien’s book, The Hobbit.
For those of you who are unfamiliar with the story, the tale starts out with the Wizard, Gandalf the Grey (Ian McKellen), recruiting Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) to join a company of 13 Dwarves to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor from the Dragon Smaug.
For the journey to be successful, Gandalf advises the dwarves that they need a burglar; someone who could sneak into Erebor undetected. Gandalf likes the idea of a Hobbit because Dragons aren’t familiar with their smell.
When the dwarves arrive on the scene they are doubtful about whether Bilbo is capable of making this journey. In fact, Bilbo is doubtful of himself. He is uncomfortable with the idea of adventures with dragons and he is faced with the challenge of deciding whether he is ready to accept the dangerous task of joining their company.
I think we are can all relate to the struggle that Bilbo is facing. We get comfortable with our routine and almost complacent with our lives until God offers the challenge to strengthen our faith. He may be asking us to follow his will by changing careers, being open to having another child or even going on an impossible mission to battle a dragon. But whatever God is calling us to; it requires trusting him and taking a huge leap of faith.
Bilbo is left to discern whether he should help the dwarves on this seemingly impossible task or stay safe in the Shire. We recognize that sometimes God asks us to step outside our comfort zone, but he does not abandon us. He gives us the courage to carry out his plan.
Gandalf recognizes that Bilbo is essential to this company, but he, nor the dwarves, can promise his safety. Ian McKellen recalls the scene when Bilbo asks Gandalf, “‘Am I going to come back? Can you promise that?’ And [Gandalf] had to say no. Not many commanders would say that to their soldiers," says McKellen. "It is a chilling, but heartwarming moment.”
Martin Freeman reflects on Bilbo’s decision to join the company despite the danger and the unlikelihood of his safe return. “It’s a pivotal thing for Bilbo and the audience to realize that he still chooses to go on this journey having had that very honest appraisal by the man [Gandalf] who is going to take him. If you do come back, you won’t be the same, which is also a very scary prospect for most people, and certainly most Hobbits. But he still chooses to go. I think that is quite touching.”
The quiet courage and unlikely bravery of Bilbo Baggins builds upon a bigger theme of the importance of simple acts that make a big impact. At the White Council, Lady Galadriel asks Gandalf why he brought a Hobbit on such a dangerous adventure. Gandalf explains that the goodness of everyday folk and the simple acts of kindness are what dispel the darkness. Those small acts are as powerful as great acts of heroism. This theme is the heart of the entire story.
Tolkien’s themes of humanity are major highlights in the film. Richard Armitage, who plays Dwarf King, Thorin Oakenshield, goes on to say: “one of the things that I really find when I look at that book is, I can get a sense of Tolkien’s Catholicism, his kind of Christianity … in terms of his chivalric view of the world, his nobility which is expressed through kindness and mercy. I think that pervades all of his writing and it’s in almost all of his characters and I find that inspiring.”
The Hobbit, opening December 14, will take you on a magical journey to Middle Earth. I really enjoyed it and I plan to see it again. Are you planning to see it? Check back here and let me know what you thought of the film (Click "add a comment" at the top of the page).
Robyn LeeRobyn Lee is Managing Editor of Catholic Digest.By Julie Rattey
What price would you pay for freedom? In “For Greater Glory” (releasing June 1) which tells the story of the real-life martyrs and heroes of the 1920s Cristero War, which arose in response to government oppression of Catholicism in Mexico, each of the characters must answer this question. This April, actors from the film, along with director Dean Wright, met with media outlets including Catholic Digest to discuss the film and, in many cases, their personal Catholic faith. The questions are from Catholic Digest and other media outlets. Please note that the content contains some spoilers.
Academy Award-winning filmmaker Dean Wright has a prestigious career in Hollywood working in visual effects on films such as Titanic, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, and The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. This is his directorial debut.
The martyrdom of José was quite evocative of Christ’s. Was that purposeful?
Well, movies are a great tool for not just for communicating story or inspiring people with individual feats of courage or sacrifice; they’re also a great way to visually move an audience, and we tried to do it a number of ways.
Specifically to your question, the character of José was brutalized in a way that we only hint at in the film. Shooting it in the way we did was absolutely a way of showing his step of following the path that Christ took, because that’s what he knew he needed to do. It certainly was deliberate; hopefully not overly obvious. It’s what he did; it’s also a metaphor for what inspired him to do it.
Why was it important for the movie to intertwine the stories of José and Gorostieta?
Andy’s character, Gorostieta, he wasn’t willing to fight the fight for the Church, that’s not why he went (to war), but his family told me specifically he believed in religious freedom, and that’s what he went to go fight for. Also, it’s not unfair to say, he was a glorious general and had incredible victories, and here he was working in this soap factory and feeling his best days were behind him. He also was looking for that meaning in his life that he’d thought he lost, right? And so he goes out to search for that on the battlefield, and is hit in the head by this boy and this purity of faith that this boy has.
For Gorostieta, it takes him to the depths of his soul, and (when José is captured and killed) he’s angry at God, and he yells at God, and he’s furious, and at the end he realizes he has to give up, he has to give himself over to God. And he gets this peace, and he knows he needs to lead his men to safety, and he’ll probably not make it, but it doesn’t matter because he realizes what he was looking for he had all along. CD
To learn more about the film, visit ForGreaterGlory.com.
To read more interviews from this film, click here.
Managing Editor Julie RatteyJulie Rattey is a Boston-based writer and editor. She is the author of If I Grew Up in Nazareth, available from 23rdPublications.com.By Rebecca Ryskind Teti
Do you know about "Coffee Talk"?
It was one of the most popular features of the old Faith & Family Live blog, and when that site suffered demise, it found a new home here at Catholic Digest.
The premise is simple: everyone needs a group of diverse but like-minded friends with which it's safe to share good news, ask for prayers, inquire advice from more experienced folk, seek a reality check, commiserate -- or even get insanely excited over some money-or-time-saving tip.
We do all of that at Coffee Talk, an online community where readers help readers.
Each day of the week is dedicated to a different topic. You can participate daily or focus on the issues most relevant to you.
Wednesday: Natural Family PlanningFriday: Education (of any type -- public, parochial, charter, home -- it's all good where discussion is concerned)Weekends: Changing Roles -- a space to discuss the needs of the "sandwich generation" -- people who are managing the needs of kids in college, aging parents, and the beginnings of "change of life" are all fair game.Within those broad categories, anything goes. Raise a question, tell a funny anecdote, share an interesting article, ask for advice or prayer.
There are some ground rules, though: Keep it clean, keep it kind, and keep it "kosher."
Which is to say foul language won't be tolerated, and neither will personal attacks on other commenters --and since this is a Catholic apostolate, neither will outright attacks on Catholic teaching (although respectful questioning or seeking after deeper understanding is fair game. It's scorn and mockery that'll get your remark deleted, not a polite inquiry.)
We all know that comment boxes often don't reflect human nature at its best. Let's keep it uplifting here -- a model of what Christian conversation can be, and a place where if a non-Catholic or a struggling Catholic were to stumble upon us, he or she wouldn't be turned off by the way we speak to one another.
That means different perspectives and even disagreements are fine. There's not one right Catholic way of doing everything and we have so much to learn from each other.
At the same time, since written comments can easily be misunderstood, before you post a comment, imagine yourself saying it to a friend, in that friend's living room, over coffee. That's the spirit of Coffee Talk.
Over the years many readers have found the on-line community at Coffee Talk to be a godsend when they were feeling isolated or needed practical advice from experienced women in dealing with things like coping with Aspberger's Syndrome, dietary restrictions, NFP or marriage challenges and more.
Of course on-line talk can't substitute for actual medical or mental health intervention where it's called for -- but if what you need is someone to chat with over virtual coffee, won't you join us?
*************
Finding Coffee Talk: Until some planned site changes take place, Coffee Talk can be a little tricky to find. Go to our home page, scroll down past the features and "Quiet Moment" and you'll see "recent blog posts" under the Recipe of the Month.
There we are, a little hidden but there faithfully. Or you can find the link to each day's discussion posted on our Facebook/Twitter pages each morning.
Rebecca Ryskind TetiRebecca Ryskind Teti is a wife and mom writing from Hyattsville, MD. She is web editor of CatholicDigest.com. Follow her "In Good Company" column at Catholic News Agency
Sr. Luvia Joseph with St. Alphonse de Liguori studentsBy Sandy Wolniakowski
Sandy Wolniakowski, Haiti Outreach coordinator for St. Joseph Parish in Pewamo, Michigan, shares the important work of Sister Luvia Joseph, founder of St. Alphonse de Liguori School in Haiti.
WHO IS SISTER LUVIA JOSEPH?
Sister Luvia Joseph is a Roman Catholic nun who runs numerous programs in Haiti in an effort to help the people of the country she calls home.
WORK
Sister Luvia Joseph founded an orphanage in 1976, followed by St. Alphonse de Liguori Catholic School in 1984. She never turned away a student, and she would feed the children daily. Many children came to school only to receive food they could not get elsewhere, and some came for the safety that the walls of St. Alphonse offered from the poverty and dangers of Port au Prince.
A devastating earthquake in 2010 killed several religious sisters along with 150 children when the school building collapsed.
NEWS FROM HAITI
One day after that earthquake, I received a phone call from Sister Luvia. She was crying and trying to tell me about the earthquake and the lives lost. I tried to listen, but the language barrier, which already caused difficulty in communication, was further complicated by her hysteria. She told me her sister was dead. She tried to put into words something that no words can describe.
I listened and prayed. I told her we knew—that it was all over the news and help was on the way. My words seemed hollow and powerless, but she calmed down and listened. I assured her that the whole world was praying for Haiti. And then we were disconnected.
Later, Sister Luvia told me that she believed it was a miracle that she was able to make that call. The ability to communicate, which was difficult and sporadic before the earthquake, ceased completely after the quake. Any other time that she had tried to place a call had been unsuccessful. She was sure that God had blessed her with the ability to communicate with the outside world and to receive the little assurance that I could offer.
HEARING GOD’S VOICE
In the moments before the earthquake struck, Sister Luvia was attending a meeting of religious. Suddenly Sister Luvia heard a voice in her spirit telling her to get out of the building. Sister Luvia informed one of the other religious that he needed to get outside of the building, but he did not see the need to follow her direction. She excused herself from the conversation, and as she was making her way out and had reached the veranda, one of the leaders of the meeting asked to speak to her. She informed him that, if he wanted to speak to her, he would have to join her outside, and so he did.
Sister Luvia said that she felt drawn to an open lot. As she and her companion stepped foot onto that grassy patch, it was as if the earth gave way. She remembers grabbing onto a small tree to keep herself from being knocked down by the force of the quake.
AFTER THE EARTHQUAKE
Sister Luvia was forced to live in the streets, along with the orphans and hundreds of thousands of others who had survived the earthquake and were now homeless. When it was possible to do so, Sister Luvia took the orphans—about 40 of them—to Miragoane. This was the location of another school operated by Sister Luvia, and while it did not escape the wrath of the earthquake, it was a much safer place for the children to be.
BLESSINGS AMIDST THE TRAGEDY
One of the orphan girls had been trapped beneath fallen concrete during the quake, but she was still alive. The rescuers could hear her calling for help, but it seemed that no matter how hard they worked they could not free her. Sister Luvia prayed that God might take the child’s life and end her suffering, and then the voice inside her spoke again. God told her to go back and get the child out.
Confused but obedient, Sister Luvia returned to the site and summoned others to help her. Using a crowbar and a piece of a broken door, they attempted once again to do the very thing that had been tried so many times before—only this time, God and his angels had joined their efforts, and within moments the child was free. Although she had sustained broken bones, she was alive, delivered from the darkness that had tried to claim her. In June of 2011, members of our group were blessed to see her and listen as she tearfully shared her story.
NEW PROJECTS
Sister Luvia personally designs the buildings she needs and oversees their construction herself. Prior to the earthquake, Sister Luvia had purchased property and begun the construction of a building she hoped would house St. Alphonse School, as well as several other programs she was operating in Port au Prince. She had interviewed several contractors until she met one who would agree to her construction plans. She made several trips to the site, insisting that rebar be placed in the concrete as reinforcement. This wisdom and persistence paid off, as the construction site survived the earthquake with no notable damage. When time allowed, construction continued; and today it is the new site of St. Alphonse School, replacing the previous site that was demolished by the quake.
MISSION
Sister Luvia Joseph says, “My mission is threefold: I hope to feed souls, bodies, and minds. It may be necessary to feed people’s bodies before they’ll accept food for their souls or an education. I hope to help my people to be better equipped to gain food for their souls and bodies, and I pray that, once nourished, they will help many others in Haiti.”
I remember asking Sister Luvia how she knew that she should pay attention to the voice that gave her such valuable direction on those two occasions. “I have learned to listen to that voice,” was her simple reply.
Sister Luvia continues her work today, helping the Haitians as they attempt to rebuild and move forward.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
While most of us will never accomplish the great tasks that Sister Luvia feels called to do, I am certain that “voice” speaks to us, too. Have we learned to listen? God only knows what great blessings might be in store for us if and when we do!
****************************
For more information on how to help Sister Luvia and the people of Haiti, contact:Sandy WolniakowskiHaiti Outreach Coordinatorstalphonsefoundationofhaiti@gmail.com
989-593-2479
By Rebecca Ryskind Teti
Lent is upon us, believe it or not, and as we think through the prayer and fasting regimens we ought to take on to prepare for Easter, let's not forget about almsgiving -- the neglected sister of the trio of practices the Church recommends for spiritual healing and growth.
Many of us here at Catholic Digest are participating this year in CRS Rice Bowl, the new-and-improved Catholic Relief Services faith formation program that helps participants live Lent in solidarity with the poor.
The concept is simple:
"A cardboard or homemade CRS Rice Bowl is used to collect your Lenten alms. These donations will put “rice” into the empty bowls of our hungriest brothers and sisters. It serves as a concrete reminder of the world’s poor and Jesus’ call to serve them."
The program isn't just for the needy, but about your spiritual growth too:
"A CRS Rice Bowl is also for you – it is inspiration for your Lenten journey. Daily reflections, weekly prayers, and stories of hope from around the world will enrich your relationship with God during this liturgical season and challenge you to live in solidarity with our most vulnerable brothers and sisters."
Be on the look out for rice bowls at your parish. Or if your parish doesn't already participate, you can do so individually by making your own rice bowl or ordering a free one. Or perhaps you can be the person who brings the program to your community?
We encourage you to join us in the journey through Lent with this worthy program uniting fasting, prayer and almsgiving!
Rebecca Ryskind TetiRebecca Ryskind Teti is a wife and mom writing from Hyattsville, MD. She is web editor of CatholicDigest.com. Follow her "In Good Company" column at Catholic News AgencyBy Marion Fernández-Cueto
We’ve all seen them: those lone, scruffy figures at intersections and freeway underpasses holding bent cardboard signs asking for a handout. Their faces are as cracked and blistered as the sidewalk. Their meager possessions lie tangled in a bucket, sack, or grocery cart behind them.
In the city where I live, it’s hard to drive more than a minute or two without passing one of these hopeless, hapless individuals. I used to dread the encounters, wincing inwardly as the traffic light inevitably turned yellow and forced me to a stop right in front of one of those PLEASE HELP signs.
For one thing, I didn’t know how to help. My loose change wasn’t going to reverse the course of this stranger’s life, I’d reason; it might even enable it. At the same time, even dollar bills seemed like a paltry response to the misery before me—passing money from my comfortable, insular, air-conditioned world into those scarred, eagerly trembling hands only emphasized the abyss of privilege between us.
Not giving was even worse. On the rare occasion I was carrying cash, refusing to share some made me secretly feel like a jerk. When I truly had nothing, however, I found myself wishing for a mere nickel to assuage my shame. Either way, I‘d avoid eye contact, eventually pretending that the pleading human being on the other side of the window simply didn’t exist. It was easier that way, and when the light turned green after an agonizing interval, I’d accelerate with relief.
One day, I understood something that changed my outlook—and my tortured commute—forever.
One of the main reasons I had become so ambivalent about giving to beggars, I realized, was a misplaced sense of responsibility. When asked for help in these haphazard, drive-by situations, I often felt overwhelmed by the seemingly insurmountable problems of the other person’s life and the pathetic limitations of my own response. That was a problem, I realized, because it wasn’t this stranger’s life I was being called to change at these moments. It was mine.
It was my heart and habits that were being tested here; my prejudices, my fears, and my unwillingness to see Christ in his most distressing disguise that was being challenged. Standing before me was another child of God, and what mattered was not first of all the efficacy, appropriateness, or size of my response, but the love that characterized it. “Love,” as St. John of the Cross wrote, “is the measure by which we will be judged.”
This simple epiphany freed me. I stopped fearing my daily roadway encounters, and I began to offer what I could—a bit of money, some snacks, fast-food coupons, or directions to a nearby shelter or food pantry. Sometimes all I had was a prayer and an apologetic gesture. But as I opened my hands, I was astonished to find my heart opening as well. Each lone, scruffy figure became not a problem to be fixed but a person to encounter and acknowledge in all of his broken humanity.
Love indeed is the measure. As followers of Christ, we can disagree, I think, about the best way to help the poor around us, but we cannot use fear, indifference, greed, or cynicism to circumvent the Gospel’s clear and simple commandment: “Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away” (Mt 5:42).
Christ knows our responses will often be woefully inadequate—he said himself that the poor would always be with us. But he also said we will only receive in the measure with which we give—that we love him only to the extent to which we love our neighbor.
“We must be saved together,” wrote the French Catholic essayist Charles Péguy. “Together we must arrive before the Good Lord. What would he say to us if we arrived alone, if we came home to him without the others?”
I thought of that quote some weeks ago, when we pulled to a stop next to a begging Vietnam vet on our way to Sunday Mass. Handing some change out the window, I was stunned when he gently pushed it back into my hands. “No way,” he said, gesturing toward the car seats behind me. “You’ve got little ones back there. You take care of them now.”
And while the traffic light lingered on red, this weary old man and my delighted toddlers laughed and waved and blew kisses to each other. Their mutual glee, the light in their eyes, glows within me still.
Marion Fernandez-Cueto is an award-winning journalist who lives in Houston with her husband Andres and their three children.By Simcha Fisher
January marks the 40th anniversary of Roe v. Wade and the annual March for Life, so it's a natural time to promote respect for life from conception to natural end. But what does it mean to “respect life”? What does it mean to be “pro-life”? Of course it means being against abortion, assisted suicide, embryonic stem-cell research, human cloning, and any other practice that is an affront to the dignity of the human person. But being pro-life isn’t mainly about being against things. Being pro-life means being for something. It means loving God’s gift of life, and acting on that love. Here are 34 pro-life activities you and your family can do! *
1. Give life. Consider adoption or foster care — or contribute to a fund to help foster or adoptive parents. Reece’s Rainbow (ReecesRainbow.org) helps parents pay for adoptions of kids with special needs.
2. Spiritually adopt a baby in danger of abortion. For nine months, say this prayer written by Fulton Sheen: “Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, I love you very much. I beg you to spare the life of the unborn baby that I have spiritually adopted, who is in danger of abortion.
3. Give routinely. When you shop for your family, get in the habit of picking up one extra item — a box of spaghetti, a bag of diapers, a few onesies or socks — and donate it to a local food pantry, crisis pregnancy center,or shelter.
4. Participate in 40 Days for Life. Check out 40DaysForLife.com to join in this hugely successful pro-life effort. Missed day one? No problem! Better late than never.
5. Join a group. Call your parish’s pro-life committee and ask where they need the most help. If there is no such group, ask your pastor if you can start one.
6. Spread the word. With your pastor’s permission, leave pro-life pamphlets or CDs in the church vestibule, or add posters or displays of fetal development where anyone can see them.
7. Love all human life. Make a special effort to be warm and genial to people who make you feel uncomfortable: the physically or mentally disabled, the old, the somewhat weird, the slightly smelly, the obviously lonely. Five minutes of friendly conversation might be a rare luxury for them.
8. Educate yourselves and others. Kids can educate their teachers and classmates. Need to write a history paper? Highlight the pro-life views of historical figures like Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton.
9. Be an encourager. Give an encouraging smile to the young parents struggling with a howling kid at the back of the church. Whisper, “Hang in there, it gets easier!”
10. Stand up and speak out. Make plans to attend this year’s March for Life in Washington, DC, (MarchForLife.org) or participate in some other public demonstration of your faith. Kids love to make signs, and all Catholics should have the experience of being Catholic in public at some point in their lives.
11. Pray more. One Friday a month, quietly say a Rosary outside your local Planned Parenthood or abortion clinic.
12. Keep it kind. If you picket or protest, remember that you are showing the face of Christ to the world. Never be confrontational, rude, loud, or condemning. Remember, the woman heading into a clinic often feels like she has no choice. She is a victim, too.
13. Share your baby. If you are lucky enough to have one, share your beautiful baby! The world is not so hard that people don’t love to see babies. If you can, take a moment from your busy day to pause and let people admire your littlest one.
14. Use beautiful images. Whenever you can, use beautiful photos of living unborn babies, rather than gruesome photos of aborted babies.
15. Lend a hand to moms. Make a meal or two for a new mom. Have the kids make a “Welcome Baby” card too.
16. Be good to your own family. When Blessed Mother Teresa received her Nobel Peace Prize, someone asked her what we could do to promote world peace. She answered, “Go home and love your family.” The same is true for the pro-life cause: Pro-life work begins at home.
17. Be good to your family in public! You don’t have to be a happy, smiley, shiny family all the time, but don’t give the impression that your children are terrible burdens you wish you could shed. Especially if you have a large or boisterous family, remind the world that children are a joy.
18. Visit a nursing home. Some residents never get any visitors, and they would be delighted to hear your kids recite a poem, read a book aloud, sing “Old MacDonald Had a Farm,” or just sit and chat for a little while.
19. Be positive. Don’t always be wringing your hands, howling in outrage, or mourning the evil in the world. Highlight the positive: adult stem-cell therapy that actually cures people, breakthroughs in prenatal corrective surgery, and stories of generosity and heroism.
20. Love all people. No matter what your politics, speak of other people in terms that show you recognize their dignity as children of God. It’s easy to be respectful of people with whom we agree; being truly pro-life means upholding the dignity of all life, including people you don’t really like.
21. Don’t forget about men. Remember that men suffer from abortion, too, and have no legal say in the decision to abort. Pray to St. Joseph for the men in your life; understand that men also grieve and suffer through life and death matters and need support.
22. Make a statement. A positive pro-life bumper sticker or t-shirt might be just the message someone needs to see one day.
23. Reach out to your leaders. Write letters to your state representatives. Keep them brief and very clear; ask specific questions and request answers.
24. Do your homework. Make sure teens and adults are fully informed about why the Church opposes euthanasia, abortion, embryonic stem-cell research, etc. You never know when you might be called upon to defend your point of view, so make sure you really understand it.
25. Give your time to the dying. Volunteer at a hospice or become an extraordinary minister of Holy Communion to bring the blessed sacrament to shut-ins and the dying.
26. Pray to the saints. The patrons of the pro-life movement are a good place to start: St. Gianna Molla, St. Maximilian Kolbe, Our Lady of Guadalupe, St. Faustina, St. Joseph, and St. Elizabeth.
27. Pray for the conversion of abortion workers. And find ways to support people who want to leave the industry. Check out Abby Johnson’s ministry, And Then There Were None (ATTWN.org).
28. Be better. Proponents of abortion, euthanasia, and embryonic stem-cell research do their best to dehumanize their helpless victims in order to make it more palatable to harm them. Do better. Never dehumanize the people you oppose, with words or in your heart. Pray for them instead.
29. Stay informed. Keep up-to-date on pro-life news with Jill Stanek (JillStanek.com), Lila Rose (LiveAction.org), Feminists for Life (FeministsForLife.org), LifeSiteNews (LifeSiteNews.com), and National Right to Life (NRTLC.org).
30. Vote responsibly. If there are off-cycle or local elections where you live, take your kids with you to vote, and let them know that being pro-life affects your choice.
31. Support pro-life doctors. They probably have made a financial sacrifice by choosing not to prescribe contraception or perform or refer for abortion, sterilization, or euthanasia, so give them your business! Try this resource to find a provider in your area: OneMoreSoul.com/nfp-providers.
32. Follow Church teaching. Reject the use of artificial contraception utterly and fearlessly, as the Church calls us to. Being open to life is at the heart of respecting life.
33. Be gentle and loving. When you speak about women who’ve had abortions, remember that many people have pasts they regret — and they may be listening. Cruel and harsh words can do terrible harm. See Rachel’s Vineyard (RachelsVineyard.org) if someone you know needs support after an abortion.
Overwhelmed by all of this activity? Don’t be. Nobody does all of these things. Gather your family together and choose just a few things that you can do together. And remember one final activity …
34. Hope. It’s very easy to become discouraged when you think of the battle to come. But no matter what laws are passed, or what the latest polls show, place your trust in God. We are not fighting this war alone.
Now, get out there and make the most of the March for Life and the opportunity to spread respect for life!
*This article originally ran in Catholic Digest magazine as ways to observe October's Respect Life month. It has been slightly modified to fit January and the March for Life.
Simcha FisherSimcha Fisher is a writer and speaker who lives with her husband and nine children in New Hampshire. She blogs at SimchaFisher.com and at the National Catholic Register: http://www.ncregister.com/blog/simcha-fisher/By Robyn Lee
Department for Persons with Disabilities (DPD) provides residential, vocational, spiritual, and social services to adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Catholic Digest spoke with executive director Scott Milliken and development director Chris Brancato about their important work at DPD, which is the only Catholic Charities agency in the state of New Jersey.
WHO WE ARE: Department for Persons with Disabilities (DPD) is a Catholic Charities organization in the diocese of Patterson, New Jersey. We provide a very high level of care for adults with developmental disabilities and their families. We operate nine group homes, two supervised apartments, and one vocational day program. To live with us, a person has to be over the age of 21 and have a developmental disability.
OUR WORK: We have a program called “Saturdays at the Center” where people who live in the community, either with their parents or with other family members, can spend a few hours on a Saturday. We provide educational, recreational, and social opportunities. We also offer other activities such as Knights of Columbus, art classes, pet therapy, and cooking classes. In addition we have a Fight for the Right Community service group, which allows the people we serve to give back to the community. Our main goal is for our adults to become active, contributing, and valued members of the community and to participate in life with dignity and respect.
HOW WE STARTED: Father John Wehrlen started Department for Persons with Disabilities in 1965. As a young parish priest, he wanted to help a mother in his parish who had three young children, one with a developmental disability. In the 1960s there weren’t many services for people with disabilities. A parent’s options were either institutionalization or keeping children at home where they were sheltered, not even allowed to attend public school until 1973.
Father Wehrlen was devastated when this single mother, with no family and little support, took her own life and the lives of her children. From that day he made it his mission to help and provide services to other children with developmental disabilities and their families. He first started a daycare center for children with developmental disabilities as a way to provide children with educational and recreational opportunities and give parents time to rest, work, and complete daily errands. Eventually those kids grew up and needed a fulltime, year-round care, and DPD was started. We opened up our first residential program in 1971. We have the longest running group home in the state of New Jersey, called Murray House. We have grown from a volunteer organization to one of the largest Catholic Charities agencies in the country that provide these services.
A SUCCESS STORY: Walter was one of the first individuals we ever served. He grew up with his mother in Paterson, New Jersey, and became a shoeshine boy on the streets. When Walter’s mother passed away, he had no place to go, but Father Wehrlen was there to offer him a place to live at Murray House. Walter was quite a character. He didn’t say very much, and if you asked him a lot of questions, he would say, “None of your business.” That was one of his favorite phrases. Walter had an important job: checking the mail. He would check the mail five, 10, sometimes 20 times a day, usually not finding anything. When the mail was delivered, he was so happy to bring it back into the house, open it, or to give it to his housemates or the staff.
One hot summer day, Walter went out to check the mail and came back with a very special package in his hands: a newborn infant wrapped in an old army blanket, just a couple of hours old. Apparently someone who couldn’t take care of this baby left her in our mailbox. Perhaps this person knew we were a Catholic Charities organization and would take care of her. When the staff saw the baby, they cleaned her up and called the police, who took the baby away. Walter was angry that they took the baby away, and until the day he died, he said, “The police took my baby” (which was a long phrase for him to utter).
Walter died in the mid 1980s. In 1994 a young woman came to our offices looking for information about her biological parents. The only information she had was a newspaper clipping that said “Baby Found in Mailbox” with our information on it. She came to our office to tell us that she was that baby. She had been adopted into a good home, and was a pre-med student at an Ivy League school. Walter’s baby was going to be a doctor and save lives! Walter is an example of someone who wasn’t given much of a chance in life, yet made a real difference in the lives of others. There are many Walters in our organization!
HOW WE PROVIDE SPIRITUALLY: We have a large volunteer program called “People Need Friends” with more than 100 active volunteers, many of who hold Bible study classes in individual homes. We also have a CARE program (Catholic Adults Religious Education). We meet on the first Monday of the month at the local parish for some kind of service and a lesson.
For example, one of our longtime residents, Vincent, recently passed away, so the volunteers asked the residents to write down their thoughts on a piece of paper. They put the papers into a big bowl, everyone went outside, and the volunteers lit the papers on fire. They all watched the smoke, similar to incense, as their prayers went up to heaven. The lesson usually revolves around the faith or something in the news. After the lesson, they have a little snack and a social time. The meeting is open to people in our program but also people in the community.
HOW TO HELP: We are a nonprofit organization, and we really rely on donations to run our programs. In the state of New Jersey there are more than 8,000 people with development disabilities on a waiting list for services like ours. It is important for us to grow and expand in the future so there can be more community housing opportunities for people with developmental disabilities.
If you are interested in becoming a volunteer, download the application on DPD.org or contact Sister Joan at (973) 406-1103 or sjoan@dpd.org. To support the Department for Persons with Disabilities, please go to DPD.org orwww.facebook.com/DPDCC?fref=ts"> Facebook.com/dpdcc, or contact Chris Brancato, DPD’s development director, at (973) 406-1104.
Robyn LeeRobyn Lee is Managing Editor of Catholic Digest.By Lori Hadacek Chaplin with Ella Hadacek
My mom, Sharon Hadacek, left a legacy of wonderful recipes. One of those recipes is Czech Poppy Seed Kolache. She left behind more than one version of the kolache recipe because she was the kind of baker who was always trying to perfect her recipes.
This one was created with her Granddaughter, Ella Hadacek, my eldest child. Because Ella is allergic to milk, my mom adapted her typical kolache recipe to include potato water rather than her usual raw milk.
This recipe makes a soft and delicious kolache, but like any bread recipe it can be tricky. My mom always said the more sticky you can keep the dough, the more tender the kolache will be. You have to be able to work with the dough, but at the same time not add too much flour or over-knead the dough. This recipe takes a little practice, but it is well-worth the effort. Happy Baking!
-1 cup of potato water (the water potatoes have been boiled in)
-1 1/2 cups of water
-2 Tablespoons of yeast
-1/4 cup of sugar
-1/2 cup of olive oil, plus extra oil for top of bread
-1 teaspoons of salt
-1 egg
-approximately 6 1/2 cups of flour
-one can of Solo Poppy Seed Pastry Filling
Place potato water in large bowl. Heat water on stove until almost boiling. Add to vegetable water; the mixture should be warm but not too hot. It has to be warm enough to activate the yeast but not hot enough to kill it. Add yeast and sugar. Whisk until combined and wait 5-10 minutes for the yeast to fluff up.
Whisk in eggs, salt, and olive oil. Gradually add flour. Mix with a whisk until it is too thick to whisk and then mix with a wooden spoon. When it reaches a point where you can no longer use the spoon add flour with hands. When it is thick enough to handle, place it on the counter-top and add small amounts of flour while gently kneading. Knead until the dough forms a ball, but is still sticky.
Place the dough back into the bowl and oil the top with olive oil to prevent crustiness. Let rise until the dough doubles and then punch down and allow it to double again.
Roll out a large hunk of dough in a rectangle until about ¼ thick. Slice 2-inch by 2-inch squares of dough with a pizza cutter. Place approximately a heaping teaspoon of filling into the middle of each square. Stretch opposite sides and press firmly together; repeat for the other two. Let rise until double and bake at 375 degrees until lightly golden.
Butter the top of the kolache as soon as you take them out of the oven. This step will make them soft and shouldn't be skipped.
Important Tips:
*Do not use a plastic bowl and use a large, shallow bowl. If the bowl is tall, then the bread cannot rise enough and will be dense.
*Place the slightly warm kolache in plastic freezer bags and seal when they have fully cooled. This will help keep them tender because kolache dries out quickly. If the warm kolache causes condensation in the plastic bag, then gently wipe the inside of the bag with a paper towel. Some condensation won't matter, so don't sweat it.
*Immediately freeze the kolache you are not eating that day to maintain freshness. They will thaw out quickly and taste like you just made them.
By Lori Hadacek Chaplin
Here are some fun an funny memories of Mother's Day past. Check out our handy gift guide at the end of the story, too.
Ultimate Gift
Sherry Grenchik, a mother of six children, from Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, received the ultimate Mother’s Day gift in 2003.
“In 2002 we decided to add to our family through adoption. On the Friday before Mother’s Day 2003, our precious 10-month-old son, Mark Francis, arrived from South Korea. He was escorted here, so we met him and the sweet lady that had cared for him at the airport. The moment I saw his sweet, chubby face, it was like giving birth in front of complete strangers that had stopped to witness our unforgettable moment. I’ll never forget that Mother’s Day!” she told Catholic Digest.
The gift of baby Mark was so wonderful that the family adopted another boy, Matthew, from Liberia, West Africa, in November 2005. When Sherry asked her parish priest what he thought of her colorful-looking family, he said, “I think it’s what heaven will be like.”
A Cherished Lesson
A mother of nine children from Hagerstown, Maryland, Susan Rohr’s most memorable Mother’s Day gift was inspired by a moment of grace-filled learning.
“My inquisitive five-year-old son, Steven, often bombarded me with questions. Many times I would say a quick prayer to the Holy Spirit to be able to answer in ways he would understand. One day while he was doing his schoolwork, he suddenly looked up and said, ‘Mommy, why did God make parents?’
“As simple as this question was, I prayed to God for help to answer it while Steven’s clear blue eyes gazed at me expectantly. I picked up my marker board and in the upper corner, I drew a large pitcher tipped over, ready to pour, and labeled it ‘God.’ In the opposite corner, I drew a glass and labeled it with an ‘S’ for Steven. I explained, ‘God is continually pouring out his amazing grace upon all his beloved children. He wants you to have his grace in abundance!’
Then I drew a funnel between the ‘God’ pitcher and the ‘Steven’ glass, putting a ‘P’ for parents on it. I told him, ‘God created parents as a very special, loving channel of his grace. Parents are called to raise their children for God and his glory, and he helps us every step of the way.’
“Steven was hanging on my every word, so I continued. I drew ‘Grace’ pouring from the ‘God’ pitcher through the ‘Parent’ funnel, filling up ‘Steven’ the glass. Steven’s eyes grew wide with understanding, and he gasped with delight. I drew more glasses next to Steven to represent his siblings and to show that God’s grace flows onto them as well.
“Steven’s response was, ‘Wow! God created parents to make sure their children know God and receive his grace! That makes sense! That’s cool!’
“Years later, while I was enjoying breakfast in bed one Mother’s Day with my children surrounding me, Steven handed me an oddly wrapped gift. Tears sprung quickly to my eyes, as I tore the paper away to reveal a funnel.”*
*Story edited by Lori Hadacek Chaplin
Surprise cake
Mother of eleven from Templeton, Iowa, Amy Dea, told Catholic Digest that her favorite Mother’s Day gift has become a family tradition.
“It was before I knew that my daughters were such good cooks. They surprised me with my favorite cake: carrot cake. They not only made it completely from scratch, they made it to look exactly like the carrot cake on the cover of a magazine. I have never been so surprised! I have no idea how they managed to bake and decorate it without my knowing. Now I get carrot cake every year.”
Day of Pampering
Christina Korson, a mother of eleven from Fort Wayne, Indiana, told Catholic Digest her best Mother’s Day present was a day of pampering.
“It was my very first Mother’s day. My husband and I went to Mass with our newborn son. It was very emotional. As I looked at my son, it hit me that now I was really somebody: I was this child’s mother. It was a beautiful day spent in intimacy with my little newborn and my husband. I remember with how much love and tenderness my husband treated me. We capped off the day with a wonderful, romantic dinner out. My little baby slept serenely throughout our meal. I still remember the shrimp tempura with its tangy orange sauce. I felt so blessed and truly grateful for the gift of my husband and our son.”
****************************************************
First Mother’s Day faux pas
Lisa Popcak from EWTN’s More2Life shared this amusing Mother’s Day anecdote on the radio show which she co-hosts with her husband, Greg, and it tickled the editors so much that we wanted to share it with you.
In the story, Lisa recalls standing in line at a store when she noticed that one of the clerks was visibly upset; the young woman was lamenting to another worker that she just did not know what she was going to do. The woman had delivered her first baby less than six weeks ago; she was back working before she felt ready, and now this.
It seemed that the young woman’s husband had graciously asked her what she would like to receive as a gift for Mother’s Day, and she had waxed on about how much she wanted to have a dogwood tree planted outside her house to commemorate her first Mother’s Day. She imagined how wonderful and peaceful it would be to look out the front window at that lovely, flowering tree while she rocked her baby to sleep.
Mother’s Day came and the unwitting husband presented her, not with a tree sapling, but with a baby puppy! She already felt overwhelmed, and now this. The next week, he made up for his faux pas with a tennis bracelet. Memorable doesn’t always mean wonderful!
**********************************************************
Spoil your moms and grandmas gift guide
By Lori Hadacek Chaplin
If you haven’t already decided on a Mother’s Day present, Catholic Digest has selected a plethora of new-on-the-market, eye-catching gifts that will spoil that special mother and grandmother in your life.
Nature notes
$10.99 (18 4” x 6” cards) from Save-on-Crafts.com or 831-768-8428
Assorted Cavallini Vintage Butterfly Postcards with nine different vintage butterfly illustrations comes with a reusable tin.
Floral vase
$64.95 (1/2”H x 6”W x 2”D) from WindandWeather.com or 877-255-3700
Stunning rectangular blown glass Botanical Flower Vase with vintage botanical flowers design.
Body care
$32.85 for set (lotion and liquid soap, each 8 fl oz., and 4.2 oz. bar soap); also sold separately from MonasteryGreetings.com or 800-472-0425
Immaculate Waters Soap & Body Care offer freshly scented soaps and lotion (rose or lavender) made from water from the Grotto of Lourdes.
Signs of heaven
$12.71 from Ignatius.com or 800-651-1531
In Hallowed Be This House: Finding Signs of Heaven in Your Home, Thomas Howard thoughtfully discusses the sacredness of each room of the home from the entryway, kitchen, dining room, bedroom, and even the bathroom.
Pray with the Church
$14.95 from Catalog.OSV.com or 800-348-2440
Fr. Peter John Cameron, O.P. writes in his new book, Novenas for the Church Year, “The novena stands out as a spiritual exercise of hopeful yearning and expectation. It helps predispose the one who prays to receive the particular heavenly graces sought.” Moms will appreciate having this lovely hardcover book which includes over 60 new novenas for the liturgical year.
Litany in Flowers
$24.96 paperback or $3.99 Kindle from Amazon.com
Moms who garden might especially appreciate this daily family devotional for the month of May. Read our longer review here.
Tea time
$37.99 from MysticMonkcoffee.com or 877-751-6377
The Carmelite Monks of Wyoming don’t just sell coffee. Moms and grandmas who enjoy drinking tea will appreciate their Aurora Tea Gift Set, which comes with two types of tea in bags (Aurora Blend White Tea and Mystic Monk Blend Tea), a tea mug, nicely contained in a pink gift basket.
French tea press
$24.95 from ReUseIt.com or 888-707-3873
A French press for tea, the 10-oz. Brewfish Insulated Glass Tea Press by Highwave has a double-walled glass vessel for brewing tea and keeping it hot. You can also drink directly from the press.
Go nuts
$31.95 from Amazon.com
RSVP has come out with an adorable way to easily chop nuts with their Hazel Nut Grinder. Just fill the acorn hopper with shelled nuts and rotate the squirrel’s tail clockwise to fill the 8-oz. glass jar with coarsely chopped nuts.
Tasty tongs
$25.95 from Amazon.com
Endurance Tasty Tongs for the mother or grandmother who likes to entertain. These stainless-steel tongs will add a little whimsy to any table or buffet.
To market
$18.95 from Amazon.com
This Eco-Friendly Collapsible Market Basket is lightweight and can be taken to the grocery store or farmer’s market—a convenient and stylish way to forgo plastic and save the environment.
Comfy feet
$99.95 from Aetrex.com or 800-526-2739
Comfortable and stylish, Aetrex’s Emily Adjustable Sandals feature memory foam, built-in orthotic support, and anti-microbial technology embedded in the footbed to protect against odor and bacteria.
Delicate scarf
$26 from AprilMarin.com
Lovely light-weight cotton/linen Brooklyn-Jenn Voile Scarves.
Mommy tee
$24.99 from CafePress.com
Pregnant moms will be tickled to receive a SONOGRAM Maternity T-Shirt with side ruching.
Cookie stamp
$14.95 each from KingArthurFlour.com or 800-827-6836
Add an artistic touch to your cookies. Choose from the Shamrock, Thistle, Celtic Cross, and Claddagh Stoneware Cookie Stamps from King Arthur Flour—or buy them all! Makes large 3" cookies.
Downton Abbey cooking
$12.61 from AdamsMediaStore.com or 855-278-0402.
If your mother isn’t into cooking but is a Downton Abbey fan, she’ll be tickled with The Unofficial Downton Abbey Cookbook: From Lady Mary’s Crab Canapes to Mrs. Patmore’s Christmas Pudding. This cookbook is not only filled with rich recipes, it also contains fun etiquette lessons and interesting historical facts about culinary and dining in the Edwardian era.
Masterpiece Theatre & movie picks for moms
Downton Abbey Season 3
$29.99 from Amazon.com
Did you know that Downton Abbey has been edited for American audiences? Fans won’t want to miss a moment of Downton Abbey Season 3 (original U.K. version) recently released on DVD. Especially interesting is the behind-the-scenes extras about Lady Mary’s and Lady Edith’s weddings. In Lady Mary’s segment, we learn to what lengths cast and crew went to keep her dress from being photographed by the paparazzi and leaked to tabloids. Caveat: adult themes.
Les Misérables
$19.99 from Amazon.com
The critically acclaimed musical Les Misérables (DVD) provides a riveting retelling of Victor Hugo’s epic tale of redemption and the power of kindness. Fans will be interested in the special features, which include discussion by director Tom Hooper about casting the characters, behind-the-scenes production design, a mini-documentary about the historical backdrop, universal themes of Hugo’s classic, and more. Caveat: sexuality; rated-PG 13.
The Impossible
$27.43 from Amazon.com
Based on a true story, The Impossible (DVD) is a testimony to courage, perseverance, and the strong bonds of family. On a Christmas holiday in Thailand, Maria and Henry (played by Naomi Watts and Ewan McGregor) and their three young boys are poolside when the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami hit and killed nearly 230,000 people. This gripping story of how the family fought to be reunited despite impossible odds is one of the best films of 2012. Caveat: brief nudity, though not gratuitous; rated PG-13.
The Bouquet
$12.99 from Amazon.com
For those moms who love a good Hallmark film, The Bouquet (DVD) is a family-friendly movie about how a mother’s floundering floral shop helps her two self-centered daughters realize what is truly important in life.
By Steven D. Greydanus
When I set out to make a list of great movie moms in honor of Mother’s Day, I knew it wouldn’t be easy—but I found it even harder than I thought. Let’s face it: Great mothers are in short supply in the movies.
Still, the 10 moms listed below (alphabetically by first name) more than fit the bill. With families ranging from seven children to one on the way, these mothers see their families through crises of all kinds while bringing up their kids right and, in some cases, becoming surrogate mothers to others in need.
Birth mothers, stepmothers, and adoptive or foster mothers were all considered for the list (although the central “maternal” relationship may be none of these). A few noteworthy mother figures with presumably no children of their own are included in the honorable mentions.
Annie Hughes (Jennifer Aniston), The Iron Giant (1999)
Working long hours at the diner to pay the bills, Annie—an Eisenhower-era Air Force widow—may not be able to keep as close an eye on her irrepressible son Hogarth as she’d like, but it’s clear that she’s done a good job raising him. She has good taste in art, too, as Hogarth’s beatnik/artist friend Dean discovers.
Edna Spalding (Sally Field), Places in the Heart (1984)
A wife and mother of two in Depression-era Texas, Edna is ill-prepared to fend for her family when her husband, a sheriff, is killed—but she rises heroically to each challenge, refusing to allow her children to live with relatives and displaying great resourcefulness in working to save her house and land.
Helen Parr / Elastigirl (Holly Hunter), The Incredibles (2004)
Very few movie moms hold their families together quite as literally as Mrs. Incredible. Flexible, unflappable, and sympathetic but firm, she’s in tune with her kids’ needs, works to keep Dad involved, and generally inspires boundless confidence. She’s also a homemaker who can fly a jet plane.
Leigh Anne Tuohy (Sandra Bullock), The Blind Side (2009)
Self-assured and indomitable, Leigh Anne is a pistol-packing, Bible-Belt mother of two who doesn’t hesitate to open her immaculately appointed home (she’s also an interior designer) to a homeless, illiterate black youth who quickly becomes one of the family, going on to play football for Ole Miss and Baltimore in this fact-based film.
Maria von Trapp (Julie Andrews), The Sound of Music (1965)
The best stepmother in Hollywood history, Maria faces her fears, tames seven incorrigible, governess-resistant children, wins over their grieving, rigid military father, sings through thunderstorms, makes playclothes from old curtains, climbs every mountain, and faces down Nazis. She’s one of everyone’s favorite things.
Marmee March (Spring Byington), Little Women (1933)
Of all the big-screen adaptations of Louisa May Alcott’s beloved novel, only George Cukor’s classic preserves the March family matriarch’s moral stature as mentor and guide in her daughters’ development while Father is away in the war (for example, raising the girls’ consciousness regarding the poverty of a neighboring family).
Marta Hanson (Irene Dunne), I Remember Mama (1948)
Crusty old Uncle Chris may be head of a clan of Norwegian immigrants in San Francisco, but tireless, resourceful Marta, a mother of four, is its heart. In one vignette, hospital rules can’t keep her from her post-operative daughter’s side—and, as she sings a lullaby, for a moment she’s a mother to every child in the ward.
Molly Weasley (Julie Walters), the Harry Potter films
Table the magic debate. Presiding over a unruly but happy working-class household of nine, including Harry’s best friend (as well as his eventual wife), Mrs. Weasley’s maternal heart runs over, embracing Harry as a surrogate son. Don’t let her frumpy look fool you: Her wand isn’t for show—attack her family at your peril.
Osono (Keiko Toda), Kiki’s Delivery Service (1989)
The moms in Hayao Miyazaki’s films are generally wonderful, but seldom as prominent as Osono, who runs a bakery with her husband. She’s very pregnant throughout this charmer, but her warmly maternal relationship with Kiki, a young witch in training (again table the magic debate!), is ample proof that she’ll be a great mom.
Samantha (Cécile de France), The Kid with a Bike (2011)
When a desperate boy unexpectedly throws his arms around her in a doctor’s waiting room, Samantha responds with mysterious openness and sensitivity in this masterpiece from the Dardenne brothers. A single hairdresser, Samantha’s goodness toward young Cyril is unexplained, but one thing is certain: she has a mother’s heart.
Also Worth Noting
Beth Morgan (Sara Allgood), How Green Was My Valley (1941);
Chicha (Wendy Malick), The Emperor’s New Groove (2000);
Elinor (Emma Thompson),Brave (2012);
Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver), Aliens (1986);
Fly (Miriam Margolyes), Babe (1995);
Lynn Sear (Toni Collette), The Sixth Sense (1999);
Mother Maria (Lilia Skala), Lilies of the Field (1963);
Peg Boggs (Diane Wiest), Edward Scissorhands (1990);
Rachel Cooper (Lillian Gish), Night of the Hunter (1955);
Ree Dolly (Jennifer Lawrence), Winter’s Bone.
Steven D. GreydanusSteven D. Greydanus is the author of the website The Decent Films Guide (DecentFilms.com) and regularly appears in Catholic print, radio, and television. He is pursuing diaconal studies in the Archdiocese of Newark. He and his wife, Suzanne, have seven children.
