Thursday, September 29, 2011

Shoes of the Fisherman


From time to time the Holy Father speaks of the Church and the clergy embracing poverty, in the weathiest Church, Germany, he did the same.

The clip is from "Shoes of the Fisherman" which is almost forgotten today, was made in 1963, set against the background of impending nuclear war, it is about an eastern European priest held gulag who is released, is made a Cardinal and eventually becomes Pope. I suspect it had quite a significant influence on the reception of the Vatican Council, even, maybe, on some of the Council Fathers.

The poverty Pope Benedict wants the Church to embrace is not the simplistic abandonment of the cultural heritage of Christianity portrayed in the film but a recognition of the need of the Church to abandon itself to Divine Providence.

2 comments:

Crux Fidelis said...

"The Shoes of the Fisherman" was oddly prophetic. A cardinal from the east (in this case Lwow) named Kiril Lakota who has been a forced labourer is elected Pope.

It used to crop up on TCM now and again but, I suspect, is nowadays ignored by the mainstream channels because it portrays a Pope in a sympathetic way. "The Borgias" is much more their style.

When I was in France recently I noticed posters for a movie called "Habemus Papam". Does anyone know anything about it?

Fr Seán Coyle said...

Crux, if you google 'Habemus Papam, movie' you'll find quite a few links to information about this 2011 film, an Italian production. It's described on The Internet Movie Base as 'A story centered on the relationship between the newly elected Pope and his therapist'.

The Lord’s descent into the underworld

At Matins/the Office of Readings on Holy Saturday the Church gives us this 'ancient homily', I find it incredibly moving, it is abou...