Hollywood's new exorcist movie, The Rite, is due to be released on January 28th next in the US - not sure when it will hit Irish cinemas. I will be interested to see it for a few reasons - firstly because of my interest in the area and my realisation that we need more priests dedicated to the ministry of exorcist given the rise in the occult in these times. Secondly, I have read the book on which the movie is based. It is a brilliant read and it does away with many of the myths surrounding the ministry. I also like the personal dimension as the priest in the question, Fr Gary Thomas, shares his life experience and his vocation story with us. I see, though, the producers have wandered somewhat from the book, so I hope the movie is not sensationalist. We will have to see. The opening lines in the trailer do cause me to worry......
The other reason I have an interest in the movie is because a friend of our Fraternity, Colin O'Donohue, is playing the young priest. Colin is a wonderful young actor, and we are all delighted that his career is going so well. Colin travelled to Rome with us on our first Fraternity pilgrimage in 2008. I hope this movie is the beginning of bigger things for him. I must say, looking at the trailer, our Colin looks good in a collar, so he does!
Trailer:
Just found your Blog, Father.
ReplyDeleteIt's somewhat interesting that people believe in the occult and "evil" when portrayed and sensationalised in the cinema and on videos and computer games yet; not when mentioned from the pulpit. I can't even remember when the devil and hell were last mentioned in a sermon. Perhaps people have become too hardened and too cynical ... and the devil is laughing having convinced them that he doesn't really exist!
God bless you.