Our Lady’s: Outrage Within the Catholic Church 2006
Distributed by Filmakers Library, 124 East 40th Street, New York, NY 10016; 202-808-4980
Producer n/a
Directed by Elizabeth O’Brien Gardner
VHS, color, 26 min.
Sr. High - Adult
Religious Studies, American Studies, Sociology,
Date Entered: 06/13/2006
Reviewed by Michael A. LaMagna, Reference Librarian, Cabrini College, Radnor, PAOur Lady’s is a compelling examination of the sexual abuse scandal in the Catholic Church from the perspective of a progressive parish in Newton, Massachusetts, a suburb of Boston. The documentary begins with a retrospective of older Americans remembering a Catholic Church strict with orthodoxy and a hierarchical structure that kept laypeople in a subordinate position within the Church. The Our Lady Help of Christians Church in suburban Boston was once a strict, traditional parish until Father Walter Cuenin, a progressive and outspoken priest, took over the parish. Father Cuenin brought with him an inclusiveness and openness that many of the parishioners were unaccustomed to. This approach proved successful as the parish was thriving in an archdiocese that had many parishes struggling for membership. The success of this particular parish; however, could not provide immunity from the news that a popular priest in the Boston Archdiocese had sexually abused children and Archbishop Cardinal Law systematically suppressed the abuse by transferring the priest between parishes.
From this horrifying and shocking news, members of Our Lady Help of Christians formed the Voices of the Faithful; an organization that has subsequently spread to other parishes to include 30,000 members. Fueled by the belief that laypeople should have a voice in the leadership of the church, Voices of the Faithful called for radical changes to the structure of the Catholic Church including its traditional hierarchical structure, oversight of the churches finances and an effective say in the direction of the church. Voices of the Faithful believe that only through laypeople leadership could future abuses within the Church be prevented.
Our Lady’s describes how a secretive culture in the Catholic Church has led to these abuses and only through a restructuring could the Catholic Church transform itself for the 21st century. Excellent in both audio and video quality, this film is highly recommended for both public and academic library collections.