So... I must say that we had to stop watching this because we were so disturbed by it...
In the beginning we were pleasantly surprised by how they actually had more of a traditional altar, the Mass in Latin and such...
But then the movie started getting worse and worse.
#1. One of the lepers (actor Peter O'Toole) asks Father Damian if he really believes that only Catholics go to heaven. Father Damian responded that he didn't know for sure but that "I know Catholics can go to heaven."
Everyone who is baptised is Catholic, if only for a few seconds. Their eternity depends on whether they co-operate with God's graces in the
last few seconds of their life.
It is to God alone to say "Welcome" or "I never knew you"
Damien left judgement to God alone as to whether the person was within His church.
#2. The same leper is dying and refuses to convert and be given the last rites. Father Damian then allows him to be buried in a Catholic cemetery even though the lay people are like, "Uhm... We shouldn't be doing this if he didn't die a Catholic."
Are you confusing consecrated ground to ground where Catholics are buried? Do you think that a Bishop actually travelled to Molokai to consecrate that poor little church, canonically erect the Stations of the Cross and consecrate a cemetary? Not very likely!
Isn't the island mostly lava rock? So they found some earth near the church to bury people. The priest, when there was one there, may have blessed the individual graves. (similar to what they do today)
I can't even imagine how many Catholics are buried in consecrated ground whose souls now reside in hell. Remember, burying the dead is a corporal work of mercy.
#3. There were quite a few unnecessary scenes with people not dressed properly and constant hinting of impure things.
As it said in the movie, "these people are here awaiting death with nothing to do" of course there were sins of impurity committed far worse than what was hinted at and considering this was a for profit production I was happy to see their restraint.
I've seen worse posted here on CI.
As for their not being properly dressed, really???? What do you think the fashion was for rags back then. It's not like there were clothing stores in operation . In reality I'd wager many were half naked.
Perhaps we should destroy all crucifixes because Our Lord is improperly clothed and placed on our altars to boot!
#4. Father Damian most of the time didn't wear his cassock properly and was kinda of flippant with it.
Give me a break. His superiors sent him there for 3 months. His Bishop promised to bring him back after one month. He was instructed not to touch anyone, eat with anyone prepare his own food etc So it looks like their intention was for him to go and offer Mass, hear confessions and possibly convert a few. Under those circuмstances he could have worn a nice clean cassock all the time.
In reality in his many manifestations, he became doctor, nurse, carpenter, repair man, builder, engineer, law enforcer, undertaker, coffin maker, grave digger, lepers advocate, etc would you have him try to repair a roof in a cassock?
What about the priests during the French revolution who cast off their cassocks to impersonate various tradespeople, or Father Miguel Pro during the Cristeros wars? True different circuмstances but dire circuмstances none the less.
#5. They had a band playing in the church right in front of the altar (kind of like the novus ordo does).
No comparison to the NO. Damien tried to get them interested in something other than dying, so he taught them music and instruments among other things. They used what limited talent and ability they had to try to give glory to God in a small rectangular building that didn't even have a proper Sanctuary much less a choir loft.
#6. People started to use God's name in vain.
Not on my DVD copy. If it's on youtube I agree it should have been left out.
#7. The final straw for us was when Father Damian himself used God's name in vain.
This I missed. I'll rewatch and look for it. Remember, he wasn't a saint yet, just a man, albeit a priest.
The real Father Damian would probably be rolling over in his grave because of this movie...
Hardly. After reading books on Father Damien and "Damien and Dutton, the Two Josephs on Molokai", I think considering it was scripted and produced by lay people, the results were excellent. It's the movie I go to when I'm having a pity party and it slaps me back to reality real quick.
Just felt like I needed to say something about it for those going into watching this unsuspectingly...
Amazing how people view the same movie but see things so totally different.
Topic: MOVIE; Molokai, The Story of Father Damien (Read 2023 times)