Father O'Grady, the failure of the Catholic Church to minister to their flock (click here). This is probably going to be a bit of a criticism, but, in all honesty Lionsgate could not 'go' where I can because they would have needed a 'series made for television' to cover the scope to which I will address this issue.
As a note, the Catholic movement is not exclusive to heterosexuals either (click here). I am sure that reality will never be received well in Rome. It is however a reality.
It was a very well made film. It does the subject a great deal of justice, where Father O'Grady can't seem to get out of his own way for the sake of his inflated ego. The point was clearly understood. It was very sad the 'state of affairs' left to American Catholics to sift though without real guidance and compassion. My perspective is a bit different and comes of an 'absence' of evidence that even the filmmaker didn't breach. It has nothing to do with the gay, lesbian or transgender movement.
The film presents the sincere tragedy of pedophile priests and the destroyed families they leave in their wake with absolutely 'no clue' to their damage nor the ability to find the compassion to 'get out of the faith' to honor the crime visited on these people. The Roman Catholic Church will never address this issue. They will destroy their churches through fiscal ruin before they will address the issue of sexual exploitation by priests of either children or adults. I believe there is a reason for this and it takes 'a cognitive exercise' to realize the possible scope of reason 'The Church' will not accept open responsibility, nor punish their priests.
Here we go.
The Roman Catholic Church is huge. It is in nearly every country on the globe. The film addresses the crimes identified in the USA. To date, I am unaware of many of the same crimes being reported in any other country. Realize, the 'faith' in many countries are a part of the social and government structure. In some countries the Catholic faith is primarily exclusive in a majority to the belief systems of the populous; to recognize imperfection in 'the faith' is to recognize imperfection in society and government. Not likely to happen. Needless to say this type of crime happens globally and may even make it back to the Vatican as 'rumor' and nothing more. But, realize in some countries children are not valued to the esteem they are in th e USA. That is one aspect of the dynamics that plays out to protect priests in the USA as policy by Rome. It will be near impossible to move the Vatican from that stance. Not to say Americans should not receive recognition for their plight, but, it is highly unlikely to 'move' a global organization that receives dearly few complaints from other countries.
An additional point here is that for Lionsgate to address that scope would also be very dangerous and lacks purpose when a country or society hasn't even begun to grapple with these issues. Film makers would die in the process of making such a film. All one has to do is realize the number of Catholic missionaries that die globally in their attempts to minister to others. A film maker should not even try to begin such a venture in a country armed with resistance. It could literally cause a war.
There is also another reason.
There is a vocabulary word missing in this film. It is missing in the 'context' of which the USA has 'to date' addressed the issue of pedophilia as it pertains to The Catholic Church. That vocabulary word is death. There has never been one death reported in the USA by any sexually motivated priest. Never once reported. "In that" realize, and this is just my estimation, that by denying the act by a Priest, literally protects the victim from such a fate. If these wayward 'fathers' know they have nothing to fear from the Vatican except reassignment there is no reason to eliminate any proof, but, simply to confess to a 'w'rongful way of life to date. The other possiblity is that these Priests sincerely 'try' to live up to the Ten Commandments except when it comes to 'coverting your neighbor' of which they can simply 'confess' their sins from day to day.
The United States knows full well the brevity of pedophilia when it comes to the survival rate of it's victims. The percentage is low, except, in the reality as dealt by The Holy Roman Catholic Church. To date, there has not been one death, by what would seem 'the hand of God.' To that end, if it is wisdom by the Vatican that sees beyond what the average Amercian Catholic is willing to concede, then I congratulate 'the church' for it's victory over a far greater tragedy than has occurred.
At any rate, it is a horrible crime that is exacerbated in dimension when it is a Priest that performs the covert act, which literally destroys families.
The film is very well done within the context it can be addressed from an Ameican perspective. I just don't know if Lionsgate will find it's often realized rewards this time of social 'reform' that comes with so many of it's films.
The film should be seen by those that would seek to strengthen their churches and empower children within those churches. And it may be that Lionsgate didn't cover this scope for all the reasons I have here in stated. If that is the case, I congratulate them.
