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JMJ


http://www.forgreaterglory.com/

http://www.zenit.org/article-34495?l=english
FOR GREATER GLORY OFFERS LESSONS IN HISTORY, CATECHESIS

Film About Mexico's Fight for Religious Freedom Opens in June in US

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FabrizioParty like it's 1773!

The safest place for me to be is in the center of God's will, and if that is in the line of fire, that's where I'll be-Fr. T. Vakoc

Did anybody go see it yesterday? I would go if I were in the States.

Archbishop Chaput says you should not miss it.

The extraordinary witness of ordinary people: Viva Cristo Rey!

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Grace

As to the past, let us entrust it to God's mercy, the future to Divine Providence. Our task is to live holy the present moment. - Saint Gianna Molla

Yes, I saw it and would have to say that overall I enjoyed the movie very much. I researched the Cristero Civil War of 1926-1929 as a seminarian and have to say that overall the film is very faithful to what first hand sources tell us of the Cristero War. Unfortunately, the movie is almost 2 1/2 hours long, a bit much for some, and drags during the middle. But the acting is excellent in spite of the critics trashing the movie for being "too Catholic" (LOL duh!!).

The movie also portrays Mexican priests and devout Catholic layman in very violent scenes were they shoot and kill many federal soldiers of the Mexican government. I don't know how that will sit with some. These were not pacifist Catholics who decided to "offer up" their sufferings. Their churches were desecrated and burned, their priests were shot, and parishioners were murdered under the mere suspicion of not going along with the Masonic government's anti-Catholic campaign. They took their rifles and ammo and headed into the hills where they could carry out guerilla warfare on the government. Second thought, that may strongly appeal to some (no names to protect the innocent).

The scenes of Catholic martyrdom are emotional. You should have your Kleenex with you, especially during the heartless and cold-blooded killing of 13 year old Jose Luis Sanchez del Rio, later beatified in 2005 by Blessed John Paul. The war came to an end after the U.S. government pushed President Calles to make peace with the Cristeros, which was more of an uneasy truce, allowing for anti-Catholic laws to remain on the books in Mexico, without being enforced so that the Cristeros would not be provoked into a longer civil war.

The Cristero Civil War shows immense valor and loyalty on the part of the Mexican Catholics, who were actually invited by their government to go into schism, break away from Pope Pius XI, and form a separate "Church of Mexico" along the lines of the Chinese Patriotic Association. To their perpetual credit and honor, the Mexican church disdained this invite and choose the route of armed conflict in order to secure a pacification of the virulent anti-Catholicism of their government.

"For Greater Glory" dramatically and effectively lays out the details and story of that armed conflict.

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Sincerely in Christ,
Fr. Angel

My priest friend tells me he disagrees with my review. He did not feel the movie dragged at all in the middle, but was quite entertaining for him all the way through.

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Sincerely in Christ,
Fr. Angel

Thanks for the review Father.

I recieved an email from a wonderful and faithful Sister (who is from Mexico) about the movie release date. She noted the movie was about the persecution of the Catholics and a civil war in Mexico and how we would see the martyrdom that occured. I know her well enough and she holds a special place in her prayers and her heart for Jose Sanchez del Rio.

Though being a Catholic Citizen of the United States, and admittedly see things through a different lens, I still have always had a deep regard for those in Mexico who stood up against unjust religious persecution and for human dignity. She also understands me enough (since I have passionately defended such actions to her) that raising arms doesn't make quesy - when done in good conscience and in a relatively just manner.

There will always be healthy debates about excesses and abuses that may have sporadically occured in such events. But when the human condition is traumatized culpability and subjective judgement is best left to the Lord.

I look forward to seeing the film!

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Michael D.
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The mercy of Christ is not a cheap grace; it does not presume a trivialization of evil.
Pope Benedict XVI

I have many times told people of the persecutions and almost always been met with complete ignorance and even disbelief ("but Mexico is so Catholic") so I'm happy this movie has been made. Today at the ordination of four new priests for the Los Angeles Archdiocese, Archbishop mentioned two of the Cristeros in his homily and exhorted the young men to defend the faith and use them as models.

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Valerie Garcia
vals1990@yahoo.com

"Listen, O my son, to the precepts of thy master, and incline the ear of thy heart, and cheerfully receive and faithfully execute the admonitions of thy loving Father, that by the toil of obedience thou mayest return to Him ....." St. Benedict

Val:

I had no idea that your priest ordinations were today in Los Angeles. Our seminarians from our diocese are down in Los Angeles, instead of having returned home, and now I know why. They're going to their buddies' ordination and First Masses! How fun, to be young and finished with the school year and running around to church ceremonies and food-packed receptions.

Hopefully, the very dismal and depressing number of four ordinations, which is one priest for every 1 million Catholics in the Los Angeles area, will improve. I hear they project classes of 20 priests and more for Los Angeles in the coming years.

What we need to hear from is people who have actually gone to see this movie and can report back on their observations. I don't want my movie review to stand alone because I'm not the best movie critic and need to see other ideas and feedback.

One thing is for sure--if the Catholic people do not scrimp and scrounge to save up for and support a movie like this, we simply won't be having much more in the future. There has not been such a blatantly Catholic movie (for general commercial release), with an ensuing spiritual message, like this, in my lifetime, and I'm going on 50. The Passion of the Christ was a deeply Christian movie, but it was not blatantly Catholic. This movie is in your face Church of Rome, so I don't suspect that it will have the same meaning for non-Catholics.

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Sincerely in Christ,
Fr. Angel

I just checked. None of our local chains have even scheduled it.

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Kent Wendler

I see that we have four ordinations coming up on June 9 for the diocese of Orange. We have 1.2 million Catholics, but I think the Vietnamese give us the extra ordinations. All four ordinands this year are Vietnamese.

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- Joe Kelley

Death is only a shadow across the path to Heaven.

Joe:

At least in Orange diocese now, you have plenty of room to ordain in your newly acquired "crystal cathedral."

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Sincerely in Christ,
Fr. Angel

We have been doing ordinations and other large ceremonies at St Columban's for several years now. It is a very large church. One wonders why they didn't make it the cathedral when they first established the diocese.

The story I have heard is that when the pastor at St Barbara's sent in his plans for a new church the diocese cut the size by a third. The pastor at St Columban's decided to beat the system; so over-sized his plans accordingly. The diocese approved them as submitted. Only when the Vietnamese arrived did they finally have enough parish to fill the place.

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- Joe Kelley

Death is only a shadow across the path to Heaven.

So has anyone seen "For Greater Glory?" I'm going crazy staring at my sole review.

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Sincerely in Christ,
Fr. Angel

Looks like not yet. Thank you for your review, Fr. Angel. I will have to wait a while, but I'm planning on seeing it.
You make a good point there, "One thing is for sure--if the Catholic people do not scrimp and scrounge to save up for and support a movie like this, we simply won't be having much more in the future."

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Grace

As to the past, let us entrust it to God's mercy, the future to Divine Providence. Our task is to live holy the present moment. - Saint Gianna Molla

I am hoping to see it this week. I appreciate the kleenex warning.

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Rebecca

I'm watching when it will come my way.

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Ian DC
Blessed Ever Virgin Mary -- Sanctuary and resting-place of the Blessed Trinity where God dwells in greater and more divine splendour than anywhere else in the universe

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James Daly

"It is the Lord." (Jn 21:7)

James,

I haven't found the professional film critics to be of very much help. Have you seen the film? What I find much more helpful is the reaction of the Catholic out in the pew.

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Sincerely in Christ,
Fr. Angel

I'm going to try and go this week. Haven't spent money on a movie in years but this will be an exception.

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Valerie Garcia
vals1990@yahoo.com

"Listen, O my son, to the precepts of thy master, and incline the ear of thy heart, and cheerfully receive and faithfully execute the admonitions of thy loving Father, that by the toil of obedience thou mayest return to Him ....." St. Benedict

Fr Angel,

No, I've not seen it. From the trailer I'd very much like to. It doesn't seem to be screening here yet.

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James Daly

"It is the Lord." (Jn 21:7)

Nor have I . . . and unless they offer closed captioning, I won't pay to see this one, either. For the past twenty years, my hearing has been so bad that a movie soundtrack is just garbled noise to me!

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In Christ,

Jim B

I will consider your position if stated with firm, well-thought-out, quiet reasoning. Hateful diatribe, ad hominem attacks and shouted rhetoric don't impress.

Fr Sotelo

I saw the movie and really enjoyed it. I felt the need to go to church and confession as soon as the movie was over. The priest at our church urge us to go see this movie. I left the movie in tears and wanted to go to confession. Something I shy away from. It makes me think how bless we are here in the united states.
Some of the scenes remind of the current drug war that is happening in Mexico now. For the person that said he doesnt he hear well I think he would still enjoy it.

Veronica

Powerful movie. My wife and I went to see it. I then went again with a group of guys from my Knights of Columbus council. Even more powerful the 2nd time.

It is not playing in many theaters. The theater here is only running it for 5 days.

Today I ordered a book from Ignatius Press which is a companion book to the movie.

I defintely will buy the DVD when it is available.

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Bob M
Saints ... Let's help our children see them as role models and true heroes.

I saw it today and I agree it was a powerful movie. I needed more than a little kleenex.

I didn't feel the drag in the middle that Fr. Angel mentioned. I appreciated that although there was extensive violence (as would be expected in a war movie) it was without gore - very little blood is shown, and when it is, it makes a statement (I can't expound on this point without spoiling). It didn't have the usual offensive language and other gratuitous scenes one would expect from an R-rated movie. I also liked that this movie didn't have the "cheesiness" feel and lack of depth of many recent Christian-themed movies (See Why Can’t Christian Films Be Better? by Fr. Bryce Sibley, for example.)

I found some of the spiritual insights in the movie profound, and could not miss the underlying question of how far would you go for your faith. A very timely movie considering the anti-Catholic climate in the U.S. and world in general.

I did not know anything about the Cristero war prior to seeing this movie, and am motivated to read more about it. I was especially moved by the storyline about a particular martyr in this story, whom I knew nothing about. What happened to him was both incredibly shocking and tremendously inspiring.

The movie held both my husband's and my attention from beginning to end, and I would like to own it on DVD.

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Rebecca

Dear Friends:

Thank you for those evaluations of the movie. Personally, I saw it on opening day, and enjoyed it, but felt it dragged. This last week, I saw it again.

This is weird, and doesn't make sense, but the second time around, I didn't feel any drag at all, and the movie had much more of an impact on me. I didn't need Kleenex the first time. The second time I saw it, the tears were rolling!!

Isn't that crazy? I'm not sure why that was. Thanks for the evaluations.

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Sincerely in Christ,
Fr. Angel

I finally watched this movie and agree with others -it was powerful.

I especially appreciated what in my opinion was the comparison and contrast shown in the struggles between the simplicity of the unquestioning faith of a child and the complex and questioning faith of an adult and how in some cases the faith of a child inspired the faith of an adult and vice versa.

I must admit I knew next to nothing about the struggle before viewing the movie and as such it was quite a history lesson -an introductory course of sorts for yet another topic I become interested in exploring further.

As some may have, I too wonder if I would be willing to risk life rather than deny my faith -obviously, free from any imminent danger I can easily answer in the affirmative; however, would I actually follow through? I would not willingly be led to slaughter. There is a saying often uttered that in my life thus far in various situations I have come to see as being based upon much truth -to paraphrase: not until there comes situation involving true peril does one see separated the boys from the men...

I will have to watch this movie again.

Viva Cristo Rey!

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Daniel

"Do you think that I have come to establish peace on the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division." -- Luke 12:51

I am curious as to what venue the movie was seen. Did you see it in a theater, online, or purchase the DVD or BluRay? Please respond.

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Pax et Bonum


Schultzz

It was Blu-Ray.

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Daniel

"Do you think that I have come to establish peace on the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division." -- Luke 12:51

Finally saw this a month ago on pay per view. Most of it was pretty well done, and an important reminder of the fact that religious freedoms vary greatly across the world. I did think the end was slightly sappy and overdone. This is unfortunate, knowing that many were truly martyred for their faith at that time in Mexico.

I think that There Be Dragons and my personal favorite the French film Of Gods and Men were exceptional Catholic films that recently came out.

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BobB

Fiat voluntas tua