The First One

OK, so since this is my first post to the McDonald family blog, I'd like to make a few things clear.  If you have been a reader of our Catholic Week column, be warned that like any blog, these posts will be a whole lot less "formal" than our column was.  Since this is a family blog, the topics will range considerably far and wide; likewise, posts will vary wildly in length.

You may have noticed the "Media Czar" designation when you clicked here. If you are a regular listener of Archangel Radio's Live Hour on Friday mornings, you know already that Todd Sylvester slapped that label on me a few months ago, and it has stuck like a piece of sidewalk gum on the bottom of a shoe.  It originates from the fact that my appearances on the radio typically revolve around bringing a Catholic perspective to the latest movies, TV shows, etc.  So, expect posts of that nature here often.

So why not begin now?  This morning, we discussed "For Greater Glory" at length on the show.  Bottom line: while the film has numerous technical/filmmaking flaws, the story is so critically important in our current culture that you really ought to go see it.  While rated R, in my judgement it is appropriate for adolescents and up.  (A good indicator if it's ok for your kids:  if you're fine with them seeing Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ, then your kids could definitely handle this.)  Religious freedom is being threatened in our nation today, and this sobering look back to the not-so-distant past in our own backyard (Mexico) serves as a wake-up call for Catholic and believers of any stripe.

I think Steven Greydanus's review is spot on.  (In fact, I agree with him 99% of the time, so add Decent Films to your list of must-reads.)

¡Viva Cristo Rey!