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.”
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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!
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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.By Steven D. Greydanus
It’s spring break and the grandkids are visiting. Or you’re looking for a DVD for a birthday present. You want three things: a) something worthwhile (not junk); b) something they’ll enjoy (not just high-minded or educational fare); and, crucially, c) something they haven’t already seen to death.
The staples of contemporary family entertainment are ubiquitous and familiar. There’s lots of animation, above all Pixar, Disney and DreamWorks, and assorted other stuff (Ice Age, Despicable Me).
Then there’s live-action fantasy: Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, Narnia, and of course Harry Potter and the current trend (of which I’m generally not a fan) of dark, revisionistic fairy tales (from Alice in Wonderland to the recent Oz the Great and Powerful).
Kids today are lucky if they know the likes of The Wizard of Oz, The Song of Bernadette, Singin’ in the Rain, The Sound of Music, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, Babe and The Iron Giant.
Lots of good stuff there (though older movies may require adult mediation to help kids adjust to the slower rhythms of the Golden Age). But what’s really off the beaten path for kids today? What have most kids not only not seen, but not even heard of?
Of the 10 films highlighted below (with other recommendations thrown in), I can almost promise that at least nine will be brand-new to all but the most film-savvy or fortunate kids—and all are worthwhile for grown-ups, too. (For more on all these films, see DecentFilms.com.)
The Court Jester (1956) This brilliant Danny Kaye spoof of Robin Hood and Zorro surpasses the originals, with a whimsically crafty plot brimming with dazzling verbal and physical humor. Fans of The Princess Bride should love this overlooked masterpiece.
The Kid Brother (1927) Given a chance, kids love silent film, and this “thrill comedy” from silent comedy’s “third genius,” Harold Lloyd, is my favorite introduction to silent film—for all ages. See also Keaton’s The General (1927) and Chaplin’s Gold Rush (the 1942 version). (The Kid Brother is on Vol. 2 of the Harold Lloyd Comedy Collection.)
The Miracle Maker (2000) An astonishingly well-done telling of the life of Jesus, this animated Bible film is simple enough for youngsters, yet sophisticated enough for theology students. Indispensable Holy Week family viewing, and the best animated Bible film ever, edging out The Prince of Egypt.
Mr. Bean’s Holiday (2007) Sweet and clever, Rowan Atkinson’s last hurrah as Mr. Bean—on holiday in France, where he may or may not arrive at the French Riviera—is a credit to the slapstick tradition of Chaplin, Jacques Tati and Jerry Lewis.
My Neighbor Totoro (1988) Despite years of Disney marketing, Studio Ghibli remains family entertainment’s best-kept secret (in the USA). My Neighbor Totoro is one of their gentlest films for all ages, along with Kiki’s Delivery Service, Ponyo and The Secret World of Arrietty.
Peter Pan (2000) Arguably the best screen version of Peter Pan, this A&E film of the stage musical starring Cathy Rigby is truer to the spirit of J. M. Barrie’s fairy tale than Disney cartoon and other versions. Only the magical 1924 silent rivals this one.
Road to Morocco (1942) Politically incorrect, slightly naughty and very silly, Bing Crosby and Bob Hope’s “Road” movies are perhaps best watched as a family the first time, with a judicious word here and there, but they’re great fun. If they like these, try Abbott & Costello next.
The Story of the Weeping Camel (2003) Entrancing even kids too young to read the spare subtitles, this gorgeous docudrama tells an eye-opening story of life among an extended family of yurt-dwelling nomad shepherds in the Gobi Desert. Other charming family documentaries of human and animal worlds include Atlantis (1991) and Babies (2010).
Watership Down (1978) Gratifyingly faithful to Richard Adams’ beloved epic novel of anthropomorphic rabbits, this British animated film might be a bit too intense for sensitive youngsters, but for many kids it will open worlds of mythological and cultural invention.
What’s Up, Doc? (1972) Hilarious comic set pieces highlight Peter Bogdanovich’s homage to classic screwball comedy, clearly inspired by Bringing Up Baby (1942)—also merry family fare (especially once the leopard shows up).
ALSO WORTH WATCHING:
Aardman Animations: They might know Chicken Run; make sure they know Wallace & Gromit and Shaun the Sheep.
Looney Tunes Golden Collections: Surprisingly many kids today have never met Yosemite Sam, the Road Runner or Tweetie Pie. Don’t let this happen in your family!
Muppets: The Muppet Movie, The Great Muppet Caper, The Muppet Christmas Carol and now The Muppets are the ones to get.
The World of Peter Rabbit and Friends: This animated BBC series is ideal animated entertainment for the youngest viewers, visually and verbally faithful to Beatrix Potter’s classic works.
Zorro: The first season especially of the 1950s Disney series is smashing—and very Catholic-friendly—family entertainment, though expensive (check your library).
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.By Steven D. Greydanus
Picking the top 10 movie dads was both easier and harder than picking the top 10 movie moms (see last month). Easier, because there were more candidates to choose from—and harder for the same reason! (Candidates for worst movie dads are also more plentiful than worst movie moms. For better or worse, Hollywood is still a man’s world.)
As with the moms list, I considered biological, adoptive, and foster fathers for the main list below (although I wound up with 10 biological fathers); the runners-up list also includes some “father-figure” characters. Both lists are alphabetical by film.
Tevye (Topol), Fiddler on the Roof (1971)
Atticus Finch was a man ahead of his time and place; Tevye, a hardworking Russian Jew in 1905 Tsarist Russia, is a man deeply shaped by tradition struggling in a rapidly changing world. Out of love for his daughters, he bends further than he ever thought he could yet sticks to his deepest principles, despite the agonizing cost.
Marlin (Albert Brooks), Finding Nemo (2003)
Mufasa and Mr. Incredible are more impressive, but Marlin, for all his anxieties, is the reason Finding Nemo is arguably the best animated father-son story ever. Fatherhood defines Marlin, and he rises to true heroism—reluctantly at first, but finally with unstoppable resolve.
Frank Sullivan (Dennis Quaid), Frequency (2000)
Has anyone, even Steve Martin or Spencer Tracy, played more sympathetic fathers in more movies than Dennis Quaid (see The Rookie, Soul Surfer, etc.)? In Frequency, probably the ultimate Hollywood father-son weepie, he plays a devoted, heroic dad who moves heaven and earth to be there when his son (Jim Caviezel) needs him most.
Gwilym Morgan (Donald Crisp), How Green Was My Valley (1941)
In John Ford’s sentimental, elegiac, Best-Picture winner about a family of six sons and one daughter in a tight-knit Welsh coal-mining community, Mr. Morgan stands tall as a pillar in his community and the justly revered head of his family—though his wife and grown sons are very much his equals.
Giuseppe Conlon (Pete Postlethwaite), In the Name of the Father (1993)
In this fact-based film, Daniel Day-Lewis plays a petty Irish street thief wrongly implicated with his upright father in an IRA bombing. Straight as an arrow, devoutly Catholic, with indomitable dignity, Giuseppe unfailingly puts his best face on the worst circumstances and never gives up on his son.
Guido Orefice (Roberto Benigni), Life Is Beautiful (1997)
Though controversial for its sentimental, tragicomic tale of love and loss in the shadow of the Holocaust, Roberto Benigni’s popular Best-Picture winner offers a moving portrayal of a father’s self-sacrificial efforts to shield his son from the worst of the darkness around them.
St. Thomas More (Paul Scofield), A Man for All Seasons (1965)
Like Atticus Finch, Thomas More is occupied with weighty matters outside his family, but the warmth and mutual affection between him and his daughter Margaret, his pride in her intellect and accomplishments, and her deep filial piety toward him reveal More as the best of fathers.
Dr. Tatsuo Kusakabe (Shigesato Itoi), My Neighbor Totoro (1988)
Studio Ghibli is renowned for films featuring sympathetic parents, but Dr. Kusakabe, caring for his two daughters while their mother is hospitalized, is arguably the best: easygoing and good-humored, attentive despite his workload, and alive to the childlike wonder of his daughters’ world.
Chris Gardner (Will Smith), The Pursuit of Happyness (2006)
Chris Gardner is among the most responsible, most self-sacrificing struggling fathers in Hollywood history (see also Cinderella Man). Based on a true story, the film celebrates Chris’s heroic determination to protect and care for his son under increasingly desperate circumstances, including homelessness.
Atticus Finch (Gregory Peck), To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)
Atticus Finch is the most universal fixture on lists of best movie dads for a reason. Not only is he one of cinema’s great heroes, he’s a hero to his children, and rightly so. Authoritative but not authoritarian, righteous but not rigid, reserved but not distant—he offers his children one of the greatest gifts a father can: a high standard to live up to.
Runners-up
James Braddock (Russell Crowe), Cinderella Man (2005); Pacha (John Goodman), The Emperor’s New Groove (2000); Mr. Incredible (Craig T. Nelson), The Incredibles (2004); Peter Bailey (Samuel S. Hinds), It’s a Wonderful Life (1946); The Tramp (Charlie Chaplin) The Kid (1921); Mufasa (James Earl Jones), The Lion King (1994); St. Vincent de Paul (Pierre Fresnay), Monsieur Vincent (1947); Rev. Maclean (Tom Skerritt), A River Runs Through It (1992); Olivier (Olivier Gourmet), The Son (2002), Arthur Winslow (Nigel Hawthorne), The Winslow Boy (1999).
*The banner photograph on the home page features Will Smith as Chris Gardner from The Pursuit of Happyness.
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.By Rebecca Ryskind Teti
Here's a timely idea for the upcoming Marian month of May.
Wayne Ottenbreit's Litany of Flowers is an unusual and unusually charming devotional book.
Taking Our Lady's titles from the Litany of Loreto as his structure, Mr. Ottenbreit turns each title or cluster of titles into the basis for introducing doctrine, traditions and prayers associated with Our Lady for each day of May. These in turn provide inspiration for daily Marian activities or discussions.
Each day's presentation also features a full color photograph of a flower associated with Mary, as well as information about fruits and herbs with Marian connotations -- a list that goes far beyond what I've ever read in connection with Mary gardens.
Families electing to use the book as a devotional can select from a variety of suggested daily activities ranging from the prayerful to the playful and from more to less complicated (or messy!).
Mr. Ottenbreit's suggestions focus on appreciation of family life, noticing the beauty of creation, getting out into the garden and acts of charity -- but there are plenty of simple, light-hearted suggestions, too (such as blowing bubbles to illustrate a point) and all suggestions are both positive and easily adaptable to your actual family life -- other ideas will suggest themselves thanks to his promptings.
This little work probably has equal value for gardeners who might like to know the Marian significance of some of their favorite plants. And for those who simply like to revel in discovering old customs it's a delight as well.
A treasury of prayers, poems, traditions and lore, Litany of Flowers would be a great Mother's Day gift or a belated Easter basket item for your favorite gardener.
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
