Friday, September 26, 2008

Make Up Your Own Headline For This One

A few days ago this was written.

"My film
The Devils (1971) may have been banned by any number of local councils and all over the world but it was not banned, for example, by the Jesuit Loyola University in Chicago, where it is taught on a film studies course."
Ken Russell Writer and Director
Link (here) .

Movie Plot:
The Devils
is the story of an unorthodox (and very sexually active) Jesuit-trained priest, Urbain Grandier (Oliver Reed), whose parish was in the town of Loudun, France in 1634. Arrogant and proud to a fault, Grandier made many powerful enemies—something that came home to roost because of his political activities. Grandier dared to stand up to the political machinations of Cardinal Richelieu (Christopher Logue), whose vision of a united France (with himself as the power behind the throne) was hampered by Grandier standing in his way concerning tearing down the walls that encircled Loudun. That Louis XIII (Graham Armitage) had pledged not to touch the city guaranteed Grandier’s power—for a time.

What Grandier had not counted on were the ravings of a se...ally repressed nun, Sr. Jeanne of the Angels (Vanessa Redgrave), who accused the priest of deb..ching her and several other members of the convent she headed up by means of black magic. Richelieu immediately seized on these allegations and used them to destroy Grandier, finally having him burnt at the stake as a sor.eror. ........The film did have its supporters, chief among them Time movie critic Jay Cocks.

It also became part of a course on film given by (RIP) Fr. Gene D. Phillips, S.J. at Loyola University in Chicago.
Moreover, even its detractors couldn’t deny that it was visually brilliant and that Vanessa Redgrave and Oliver Reed gave shatteringly powerful performances.

Link (here)

A quote from Avery Cardinal Dulles, S.J.

A vague adherence to Christianity can also be combined with a culture that is hedonist, consumerist, and competitive to the point of violence. Many believing Christians find their faith called into question or undermined by a social atmosphere that endorses values quite opposed to those of Christ and the gospel. The inherent logic of contemporary western culture, in many of its post-modern features, threatens both to enfeeble the churches and to erode the religious heritage of the nation. These developments are a present danger both to the vigor of Christian faith and to civic virtue as we have known it.

Link (here) to the article entitled, Shaping Our Culture Through Dialogue


A quote from Fr. John Hardon, S.J.

The devil never rests. His only respite is when he is dealing with a confirmed sinner. So long as there is a chance of weaning a soul from God’s service he is untiring in his glowing presentation of appealing reasons for being proud, envious, impure, disobedient and slothful in doing good. His strategems are unlimited. Our human intelligences without God’s solicited help are no match for his angelic brilliance.


Link (here) to his article entitled, Angels - in Heaven, on Earth and in Hell.




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