LENT
CONFESSIONS IN LENT
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday – 7pm
Wednesday Night Holy Hour at 7pm, followed by
Confession at 8pm
(weekend Confessions follow regular schedule)
STATIONS OF THE CROSS
Fridays at 7:30pm
(Confessions will follow Stations as needed)
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For the Family: Lent/Easter Movies (this list was compiled by late parishioner Barbara Curtis for her Faithful Families column in the Sunday Bulletin 2012)
As Catholics, we are blessed to have a church that for 40 days helps us prepare to celebrate the Resurrection of Christ, the cornerstone of our faith. So even as we stock up on Easter candy and color eggs we can add family traditions at home which lead our children to a deeper understanding of what exactly what we are celebrating.
Children are not abstract thinkers. These movies – some from the perspective of others involved – will help them grasp the timeline and the growing drama surrounding Jesus’s life in the weeks leading up to his crucifixion, burial and resurrection. Watch them together as a family:
The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965)
The Greatest Story Ever Told is a classic epic film which recreates the life of Jesus from his birth in Bethlehem to his baptism by John, his teaching and miracles, the Last Supper and finally his crucifixion, burial and resurrection. An all-star cast includes Max von Sydow, Charlton Heston, Dorothy Maguire, and Sidney Poitier.
Ben-Hur (1959)
Winner of 11 Academy Awards and still relevant enough that even in these secular times, networks run it during Easter. Charlton Heston stars as Judah-Ben Hur, a wealthy Jewish prince betrayed and sold into slavery, who fights his way back to seek revenge against the Romans. Critic Jason Caravaggio says, “While the movie doesn’t directly have anything to do with the story of Christ, Ben-Hur often crosses paths with Jesus throughout the film and begins to learn the importance of such values as faith and forgiveness.”
Barabbas (1961)
During Jesus’s trial and suffering, Pontius Pilate gave the people of Jerusalem a choice to have either the innocent Jesus, or the criminal Barabbas released from prison. We know the story: Barabbas went free and Christ was crucified. This poignant film, starring Anthony Quinn as Barabbas tells the tale of man who overcomes his inner struggles, eventually finds faith in God, and commits his life to Jesus Christ.
Jesus of Nazareth (1977)
Originally a TV miniseries, this 6-hour film experience emphasizes the humanity of Jesus from his birth to his resurrection. In the hands of internationally acclaimed director Franco Zefferelli, each frame is like a work of art and viewers are emotionally involved.
King of Kings (1961)
Orson Welles narrates this 3-hour film, which is very Hollywood-ish, but has its moments. (Well, when you’re telling the story of Jesus, you can’t go all wrong!)
The Passion of the Christ (2004)
Not recommended for children or the faint of heart, The Passion of the Christ chronicles the last twelve hours of the life of Jesus. Not a family-friendly film, this was directed by Catholic director Mel Gibson (admittedly not so perfect, but neither are we) specifically to focus a la The Stations of the Cross on the passion and suffering of Our Lord Jesus Christ – and His Blessed Mother.
The Robe (1953)
As Jesus is dying, the Roman soldiers cast lots for his robe. The winner (Richard Burton) later becomes convinced that his hallucinations are the result of a curse received from the robe and sets out to find his escaped slave (Victor Mature), who has it. Instead he finds faith and commits his life to Christ. The first movie to be filmed in CinemaScope, The Robe won Oscars in 1953 for costume design, art direction, and set decoration.
LENTEN RESOURCES
USCCB: What is Lent? | USCCB www.usccb.org/prayer-worship/liturgical-year/lent
FORMED: Lent – FORMED watch.formed.org/lent
HALLOW: The Hallow Blog – A Catholic Blog with Prayer Tips & More hallow.com/blog/
