Conservative Student News

I’ve always wondered why the media – from fictional books to movies and television – typically portray Catholic clergy and religious as social misfits, dweebs, happy-happy lightweights or repressed, angry people.

After all, I am a transitional deacon preparing for priesthood, and am very familiar with a great variety of dedicated servants in the Church.  I think I would have noticed a preponderance of awful, unchristian Christians serving the people of God. 

So where do all the cartoonish stereotypes of clergy and religious on the boob-tube and silver screen come from? 

More importantly, why, in an age in which we try to understand and respect different cultural expressions, do Hollywood and Madison Avenue continue to misrepresent the people who have consecrated their lives in total gift of self to the People of God?  Angry nuns and wimpy priests in masquerade costumes: such media portrayal is as dumb, insensitive and just plain unreal as past Hollywood depictions of “Stepnfetchit,” the inscrutable “Fu Manchu,” and any number of sleepy poncho-and-mustache-wearing villains. 

I recently discussed Hollywood’s Catholic stereotypes with an agnostic friend working in the film industry, and his response floored me: “Well, nuns and priest types are jerks.”

I silently pointed to myself, and he added, “Except you, I mean.”  (Actually, he first said, “Especially you!,” but when he saw that I was serious, he quickly corrected himself.)  My Hollywood friend then proceeded to show just how much he didn’t know about the subject – citing the scandals that made it onto the front pages of late (the sins of a very few apparently do convict the rest), pointing out the immense wealth that the Pope has hidden in the Vatican vaults (the Church could sure use that hidden treasure about now), and recalling the friends he knew who’d been rapped on the knuckles by nuns (he just couldn’t think of their names).

 “Doesn’t it mean anything to you that I, out of all those people you know, would certainly know whether the Church was the land of misfit religious toys?,” I pled.

Unfortunately, his response was, “Hey, that’s a great movie idea!”

“How many Catholic scriptwriters, cameramen and actresses are there in Hollywood, anyway?”  

                “I know a few Catholics in the business.”

“But are they faithful, practicing Catholics?  Do they live The Way?  Do they pray, attend Mass and avail themselves of the other sacraments?”

My friend said his twenty-something Catholic friends were “recovering Catholics” – no doubt because of some knuckle-rapping they took as kids in the 1980s. 

My friend and I eventually agreed that Hollywood culture (and the media in general) is toxic to people of deeply held and lived Catholic faith.  And because of this, those who write the twisted and silly stories about twisted and silly nuns and priests basically write from nothing.  This includes the “ethnic Catholics” he knew working in the biz.  This lack of experience merely perpetuates the cartoonish Catholic stereotypes endemic to our historically anti-Catholic nation. 

What seems to be needed are creative practicing Catholics who can make it in Hollywood and, in spite of Hollywood, make a difference.  Some sixty years ago, other religious ethnic groups had a tough time breaking into the business and debunking stereotypes about themselves.  But obvious talent has a difficult time being ignored and rejected over the long haul. 

We need Catholic scriptwriters who will not only exclude insipid stereotypes from their scripts (think Sister Act), but actually call attention to them when they somehow slip into a script.  They ought to make a big stink about them, in fact.  We need creative Catholic risk-takers who will conjure up imaginative, faith-inspired stories that resonate with all readers and viewers – while challenging them at the same time. 

Right now, the only challenging “Catholic films” from Hollywood seem to be those that challenge Church teaching and practice, not the viewers’ consciences.  Examples include Dogma, which merely confused people about Catholic teachings and practices, and Stigmata, which inaccurately portrayed the miraculous experience known as stigmata.  You know the old formulae: priestly celibacy tempted by youthful nun; evil hierarchy repressing a social justice brother working with a street gang; goofy, hip nun who is browbeaten by a repressed mother superior while taking on the bumbling mafia.  Uninspiring nonsense!

I know what you’re thinking: What we simply need are thousands with the skills and professionalism of Mel Gibson and Martin Sheen.  Based on what folks are saying after actually viewing The Passion, which portrays Christ in the 12 final hours before His death on the cross, I frankly think Mel Gibson’s work is going to be the opportunity of a lifetime for several generations. 

Already, evangelical and fundamentalist Protestant congregations are gearing up for the movie’s huge impact, with new discussion groups and faith formation sessions organized to respond to movie-goers’ newfound enthusiasm for the film.  Even now, they are publishing study guides and books meant to accompany the film – unfortunately sanitizing the film of all its obvious Eucharistic content.  I suggest we Catholics not drop the ball on this one – not only in terms of taking advantage of an evangelical and catechetical opportunity, but in cultivating and inspiring potential Catholic creative professionals.  Professionals who will help counter the stereotypes that have been forced on the public for a couple of generations now. 

St. Thomas’ new Law School is most certainly a valuable means of forming a more humane society through future lawyers, lawmakers and judges inspired by Gospel values and Church wisdom.  Perhaps the Church, through St. Thomas, could have an even greater impact on our media-saturated society by cultivating sophisticated Catholic creative talent for the various forms of media.  And by Catholic, I don’t mean a mere denominational affiliation.

There are any number of ways to cultivate creative Catholic talent through St. Thomas and other Catholic institutions – national recognition awards, a new major, scholarships and fellowships, conferences and novice script-writing labs are just a few of the potential resources available to Catholic student talent.

This is something that self-described conservative and progressive Catholics should make common sense of.  I believe we need intelligent Catholic movies that explore the spiritual imaginations of the likes of Thomas Merton, John Henry Newman, Pope Pius IX and Pope John XXIII to name a few. 

Are there any Catholic undergrads out there dreaming of scripting The Chronicles of Narnia or acting the part of Matteo Ricci, S.J. in 16th century China or St. Maximillian Kolbe in 20th century Auschwitz?  There have to be faithful daughters and sons of the Church who can bring a smile to the face while warming the heart.  

Whatever institutional moves St. Thomas and other Catholic institutions make after The Passion hits the screens, I suggest they look no further than John Paul II – former actor and playwright and a courageous man with a sense humor – as both a patron and a model for Catholic creative talent that can change the world.