PRIEST

 

THREE STARS – Searching, Challenging

 

 

       When we demand that those who minister to us be perfect, we isolate them in a variety of ways. 

       We isolate them from being  included in the love of the community of  faith. 

       We isolate them behind religious facades that imperil their spiritual health and ours.

       We even isolate them from real ministry by erroneously feeling they do not understand our struggles, our doubts, our fears or our sins, so they can’t possibly help us.

       In a film which is both troublesome and insightful, “Priest” explores  this dangerous isolation of the priesthood  along with many vital issues of Christian faith and practice.   This film is not recommended for the sensitive viewer.

        The issues presented are so many that we can only begin to explore them here.   These issues include the truth that it is in our brokenness and sin that we come to know compassion, forgiveness and grace.

        “Priest” is set within a  Roman Catholic parish in a working-class English neighborhood.  This setting provides the opportunity to explore these issues overtly because of the shared lives of celibate priests.  But these dynamics are present in all communities of faith.

         Father Greg (Linus Roache) enters the parish and rectory of Father Matthew (Tom Wilkinson) as a young idealistic priest who is self-righteous in his condemnation of others, while denying his own homosexual lusts. 

        In his idealism and his denial he not only harshly judges the sexual relationship Father Matthew has with his housekeeper and  companion (Cathy Tyson), but he is also horrified by the sins of his people.

        When we deny our sin, we tend to judge others harshly for their sin, losing the humility necessary for acceptance and love.

        His struggle comes to a head when he hears, in the absolute confidentiality of the confessional,  that a young girl is being molested by her father.

        Unable to stop the abuse without transgressing his vow to seal the confessional, he enters a deep struggle within.

        How can he confront his growing pain about the sin he sees around him when he can’t reconcile himself to his own?

        In an attempt to care for Father Greg, Father Matthew  responds with a rationalization in which sin becomes nothing more than cultural bias.

        Changing the teachings of the church to fit his sexual needs, Father Matthew counsels Father Greg  to do the same.

        This rationalization of sin is a temptation of priests and pastors.  It is easier in pastoral care to help people feel good about their sin than it is to caringly and truthfully confront it, seek their confession and ultimately God’s forgiveness and healing.

        When we rationalize our sin and justify its continued presence in our lives we become shallow in our  care for one another and ourselves.

        In his struggle, Father Greg cries out to God in prayer.  In his pain he despairs that God won’t answer him.  And yet, as we come to see, God answers our prayers even when we are filled with doubt and despair.

        Father Greg recognizes the patronizing compromise of Father Matthew’s counsel and, instead, responds by saying goodbye to his homosexual lover, asking forgiveness of the young girl who was being molested and eventually returning to the church to seek  forgiveness and restoration.

        The necessity of facing our sin and turning from it enables us to find the forgiveness we seek.

        In a moving final scene in which Father Greg experiences the merciless judgments of a betrayed and unforgiving congregation, he is also accepted and loved by  the victim of the molestation.

        It is a great tragedy when the institutional church ceases being a loving community in which we hold one another accountable and support one another with prayer and understanding.

         Perhaps that brings us to the final truth of “Priests.”  When the church recognizes that it is a hospital for sinners, and not a hotel for saints, then it can honestly reach out to heal the brokenness in all our lives - including priests.

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