Bob Hoskins as Blessed John XXIII
, Oct. 10 — The movie industry publication reported that the U.S. company Deangelis Film Production and Germany's Victory Media will produce a “big-budget fictional bio,” on Pope Blessed John XXIII.
Bob Hoskins will star as Pope John XXIII in a miniseries called “The Good Pope.” The report said the movie follows the life of the Pope who convened the Second Vatican Council. It starts production in January in Rome.
“The English-language project focuses on the last year of Pope John's life,” said the Reporter. “Italian film director Ricky Tognazzi (“Excellent Cadavers”) will helm the miniseries. Italian star Carlo Checchi will star as a trusted adviser to the Pope.”
Pope Appoints Philadelphia Priest to Vatican Post
, Oct. 5 — Father Albin J. Grous, from St. Monica Parish in South Philadelphia, will begin to serve in the Vatican's Congregation for Catholic Education, announced the newspaper. Pope John Paul II appointed Father Grous to a post in the congregation's office for Catholic universities. Philadelphia's Cardinal Anthony Bevilacqua said the archdiocese was honored by the Pope's decision.
“Father Grous brings to this appointment not only intellectual gifts and administrative skills, but also his priestly zeal and profound loyalty to the Church,” Cardinal Bevilacqua was quoted saying.
Father Grous was born in Philadelphia in 1961 and was ordained there in 1987. He studied in Rome and served in parishes in Philadelphia and Michigan.
U.N. Food Summit May Stay in Rome
REUTERS, Oct. 10 — The U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) says it wants a Nov. 5-9 World Food Summit to be held in Rome as originally planned instead of being moved to the Adriatic coastal city of Rimini, reported Reuters, quoting a spokeswoman.
“Following a senior level meeting last night between FAO and the Italian government, a letter is going out today from FAO to the 49-member FAO governing council proposing that the event should be moved to Rome from Rimini,” The Food and Agriculture Organization's chief spokesman Nick Parsons told Reuters.
The summit had been moved to Rimini for security reasons stemming from the protests at July's G-8 summit meeting in Genoa and concern over international terrorism.