Post intelligent and civil comments. Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the NLM
With the recent change of management at LTP, and certain initiatives on the part of Cardinal George (with whose diocese the company is affiliated), it is doubtful that such a film would assume the same premise in 2007 that it did just six years earlier.
But hey, that's just me.
It strikes me that the notion of everything in the Church going to "hell in a handbasket" from about 300 AD to 1969 is simply a Catholic version of a widely-held protestant idea. The only difference might be the time-line. The protestant view tends to be that the disappearace of true doctrine and praxis began at the death of the apostles and all was corrected and restored by the protestant reformers of the 16th century. In all the intervening centuries,in their view, the Church was, more or less, in decay, being led astray by that benighted group of pseudo-Christians know as Catholics who appeared out of the wood-work sometime between 100AD and Constantine. Protestant-like "search and rescue" missions seem to be an perpetual reality for us in one form or another, from within or without.
I think that John Q. Parishioner won't have the least interest in this foolishness. I really don't know anyone who has the time to stop by the parish and catch any kind of movie, much less something as esoteric (and as pointless) as this one.
I imagine that there are two potential target audiences for this thing: (1) 70+ year-old ladies who have been deeply embedded in Catholic education or chancery work for decades (perhaps under vows at some point?) who have close-cropped hair, a "Holy Spirit" necklace or pin, comfortable shoes, and the like; and (2) 50+ year-old males with mustaches who like to hang out in diocesan liturgy offices (often because they can't handle a real job).
Fortunately or unfortunately, the average parishioner just doesn't care about this stuff.
oledoc, you would be quite right if it were shown for entertainment. Sadly, it is not. It is shown in the venue for which it is made: for instruction. So it is shown to all confirmation kids and families, new RCIA people, etc. etc.. This is where it does the damage.
Jeffrey, your critique of the "documentary" is quite right. Thank you for posting it!
Touche, Jeffrey.
But wait! I can speak as a veteran of RCIA of some one score years ago...while we certrainly paid attention to the priest, none of us in the class paid much attention to these mass-marketed materials. And, anywya, people ignorant enough of history to buy this Mahonyesque party line are not the type of people who make great apologists for anything. Bad Catholics don't make more bad Catholics...they make non-Catholics.
I'm sure you're much more familiar with what's happening at ground zero. But don't you think that these types of materials (usually made by lightweights for lightweights) are so much chaff in the new winds that are blowing? I think that the situation in the Church has changed markedly even since 2001..and it just keeps getting better.
Ugh, yet more proof that a significant number of American Catholics are really Protestants in disguise.
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