CHICAGO —  New research from the American Psychological Association and the Institute on Media and the Family confirms what parents already knew. Kids imitate what they watch.

For parents this means two things: That they must limit bad media and encourage good. A new apostolate seeks to help them out.

The Father John A. Hardon S.J. Media Apostolate was founded by members of St. John Cantius parish in Chicago and draws inspiration from the late Jesuit priest.

“Father Hardon was a tireless advocate for the proper use of the media by Catholics in an effort to promote Inter Mirifica,” said Society of St. John Cantius Father Albert Tremari, the apostolate’s vice-president.

Inter Mirifica is the Second Vatican Council’s Decree on the Media of Social Communications. Father Hardon, a prolific author, wrote about, among many other subjects, the importance of the media.

The three-year-old apostolate has offered services such as a workshop on writing letters to editors and a parish series of films that have moral values, like Babette’s Feast. The apostolate has invited people in the media to make presentations on their roles in social communications within the context of Inter Mirifica.

Father Tremari said the apostolate’s mission is “to get people aware of the fact that the media are important and in our lives, and the Christian Catholic market can readily be more active and very influential in determining the content and programs that should be disseminated to the pubic.”

The apostolate aims to get back to society’s Judeo-Christian heritage and to promote the culture of life.

“Film and its byproducts are very important,” said Father Tremari. “Mel Gibson proved that point. There is a Christian market for good films.”

Father Donald Woznicki is chaplain for Act One, a Hollywood workshop for Christian writers and aspiring producers that promotes spiritual growth and integrates faith with technical skills for godly entertainment. He spoke at a conference for the Media Apostlate.

“Entertainment is a good thing,” said Father Woznicki. “When Hollywood does it right, they do it better than anybody. But it needs to be transformed in the spirit of Christ.”

This is a prime time for that transformation, he contends.

“People are going to respond to truth and beauty,” he said. “I have total faith this perspective is what the Church can bring to the table to Hollywood, and this is what’s going to benefit Hollywood.”

The ultimate source of truth and beauty, he said, is God.

Father Woznicki, a priest of the Archdiocese of Chicago, pointed out that the film industry already benefited from the Church. In 1934, the Catholic bishops of the United States formed the Legion of Decency to combat a growing number of films that included suggestive dialogue, acceptance of divorce and offensive moral situations. Catholics en masse took the Legion’s pledge to condemn and stop viewing indecent and immoral films. Hollywood responded to the Legion’s pressure, even asking for advice on films to make, he said.

That led to the Motion Picture Production Code, which spelled out what was morally acceptable in movies.

“The producers really stuck to that and respected that,” said Father Woznicki.

The unified Catholic response had an effect at the box office. The industry started adding a sense of beauty and depth to films.

To get this kind of cooperation working again, Father Woznicki has developed the Catholic Market Mobilization Initiative. Still in the conceptual stage, the initiative hopes to achieve what evangelicals did to encourage The Passion of the Christ when they mobilized church groups to see the movie, and encouraged people in the pews to “consume the product.”

“Money speaks to Hollywood,” he explained. “The more that the Church can show its influence in the box-office and marketplace, the more leverage it will have. It’s a win-win situation. The industry will benefit, and you’ll see films that will enrich the soul with truth and beauty.”

Collaboration

How might it work? Catholic schools might use a film like the Disney rendition of The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe as an evangelization moment. Pupils can read the book, schools could have a catechesis, and kids could see the film and explain the Christian imagery in it to their peers.

Father Woznicki recognizes that the Church already has resources for reviewing films, such as the Film and Broadcasting Office of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. But he would like to see a Church-based film review board with well-respected persons who work in the film industry to assist in reviewing and judging films.

“It would be pulling from a much wider spectrum, not just for content, not just for artistic merit, but for both,” Father Woznicki said. “The whole point is to unify all the efforts of Catholics to have an influence on the industry.”

“CMMI is a very simple concept and very important,” said Margo Lange, president of Capstone Film Releasing in Wheaton, Ill. “Father Don is trying to mobilize the congregations of Catholics.”

She and her husband, Dan, have seen firsthand what this can mean. Formerly in a key position distributing major films for Disney, Dan Lange became the consultant who handled distribution of The Passion for more than half the United States.

“We had heard about The Passion of the Christ through the Register,” she said. “Dan said, ‘That’s one film I want to be involved with.’”

The experience with The Passion helped form Capstone Film Releasing.

“We’re focusing on edifying films and marketing this message to morally and spiritually uplift our society,” she said.

Even thought Father Woznicki realizes that some in the industry will see Christians as being adversaries, he believes the Holy Spirit is leading people to what he calls a “mission field.” Christians, he said, must take a pastoral approach, being patient and humble, not being on the attack but holding their ground and showing they care about others in the industry.

Joseph Pronechen is based

in Trumbull, Connecticut.

Information

Father John A. Hardon S.J. Media Apostolate
7030 West 63rd St.
Chicago, IL 60638
(773) 586-7829
www.fatherhardonmedia.org
e-mail: [email protected]

Bulletin Offers Faith Focus on Events

At Our Faith in Action, a monthly current events and issues-based program geared for teens 14 through 18 years old, Legionary Father Ernest Daly sees opportunities to reach the teens though the media because it plays a big part in their culture and conversation.

“We’re very interested in movies,” said Father Daly, who is editor and director. In fact, the program has featured two films, which also fit the overall goal of applying the faith to current events. The first was The Passion of the Christ.

Just before the film came out, the program carried four lessons — two on Jesus and one each on Mary and Pilate — to help teens understand them better.

“With Christ we wanted to show that love isn’t just good feelings — the movie shows that love is also sacrifice,” Father Daly explained. “With Pilate we contrasted moral cowardice and courage.”

The film proved to be a bonus in this regard. As Father Daly pointed out, “We talk about moral courage in almost every single lesson we produce because it’s something that’s attractive to the kids and is essential to our faith.”

Again, Hollywood became the springboard helping teens understand the faith via the recent movie, The Exorcism of Emily Rose.

“We knew that this age of people is especially fascinated by the devil and fearful of him,” Father Daly said. “And almost all movies produced by Hollywood incorrectly show the devil is as strong as Christ is. It’s like an equal battle.”

But the newsletter clarified for teens how we are stronger than the devil because Christ is stronger than him, explained Father Daly.

“Kids are hungry for the truth, and lots of times they don’t get that in the media,” he said. They’re looking for the real scoop. “One of the main ideas is to show the kids the Church is a truth-telling institution.”

Using the media is one way this program does it.

— Joseph Pronechen