I’ve heard a lot lately about a movie coming out on Dec. 7 titled The Golden Compass. Apparently there is some controversey swirling around this movie which is based on a novel (part of a trilogy) by Phillip Pullman titled His Dark Materials. It would seem that the controversey is not so much about the movie but about the books of the trilogy and Pullman’s atheism and alleged hostility toward Christianity.
I confess to knowing NOTHING about these books or the movie other than what I just wrote above. For that reason, I am not siding with any efforts to either condemn or to promote the movie. I am encouraging Catholics to be informed and to talk about the issue rather than just to have a knee-jerk reaction of condemnation. I took the same approach to the Da Vinci Code and The Secret. If you’re going to condemn something, know why you are doing so and know what you are promoting in its place.
With that in mind, I recommend you begin by reading the thoughts of Sr. Rose Pacatte, FSP, who is the director of the Pauline Center for Media Studies in Culver City and the author of the Lights, Camera, Faith film lectionary series published by Pauline Books and Media. Sr. Rose is one of the leading Catholic experts in the area of media and faith.
Catechists may be asked about the movie and the books and I thought it would be good to bring the issue to your attention should you wish to learn more about it. Thanks to my friend and colleague Michelle for alerting me to Sr. Rose’s article.
Our diocese just send out a link to a more detailed article writen to by Sr. Rose that your readers may wish to look up. It is http://journals.aol.com/rosepacatte/MyMovies
It offers discussion questions that would be helpful to those who plan to see the movie.
Peace
Maura
Thanks for the link, Maura…the more info, the better.
Our Bishops have a review on the Golden Compass also: http://www.usccb.org/movies/g/thegoldencompass.shtml
Like Sr. Rose, they aren’t as strident as some other reviews out there.
Mary, thanks for the link!