Fridays 9AM-10AM Bible Study meets in the Mother Cabrini Room at the back of the church
November 1, 2009
Solemnity of All Saints
Lectionary: 667
Reading 1Responsorial PsalmReading 2Gospel
Reading 1
Rv 7:2-4, 9-14
I, John, saw another angel come up from the East,holding the seal of the living God.He cried out in a loud voice to the four angelswho were given power to damage the land and the sea,“Do not damage the land or the sea or the treesuntil we put the seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God.”I heard the number of those who had been marked with the seal,one hundred and forty-four thousand markedfrom every tribe of the children of Israel.
After this I had a vision of a great multitude,which no one could count,from every nation, race, people, and tongue.They stood before the throne and before the Lamb,wearing white robes and holding palm branches in their hands.They cried out in a loud voice:
“Salvation comes from our God, who is seated on the throne,and from the Lamb.”
All the angels stood around the throneand around the elders and the four living creatures.They prostrated themselves before the throne,worshiped God, and exclaimed:
“Amen. Blessing and glory, wisdom and thanksgiving,honor, power, and mightbe to our God forever and ever. Amen.”
Then one of the elders spoke up and said to me,“Who are these wearing white robes, and where did they come from?”I said to him, “My lord, you are the one who knows.”He said to me,“These are the ones who have survived the time of great distress;they have washed their robesand made them white in the Blood of the Lamb.”
Reading II
1 Jn 3:1-3
Beloved:See what love the Father has bestowed on usthat we may be called the children of God.Yet so we are.The reason the world does not know usis that it did not know him.Beloved, we are God’s children now;what we shall be has not yet been revealed.We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like him,for we shall see him as he is.Everyone who has this hope based on him makes himself pure,as he is pure.
Gospel
Mt 5:1-12a
When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain,and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him. He began to teach them, saying:
“Blessed are the poor in spirit,for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.Blessed are they who mourn,for they will be comforted.Blessed are the meek,for they will inherit the land.Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness,for they will be satisfied.Blessed are the merciful,for they will be shown mercy.Blessed are the clean of heart,for they will see God.Blessed are the peacemakers,for they will be called children of God.Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute youand utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me.Rejoice and be glad,for your reward will be great in heaven.”
Responsorial Psalm
Ps 24:1bc-2, 3-4ab, 5-6
R. (see 6) Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.The LORD’s are the earth and its fullness;the world and those who dwell in it.For he founded it upon the seasand established it upon the rivers.R. Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.Who can ascend the mountain of the LORD?or who may stand in his holy place?One whose hands are sinless, whose heart is clean,who desires not what is vain.R. Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.He shall receive a blessing from the LORD,a reward from God his savior.Such is the race that seeks him,that seeks the face of the God of Jacob.R. Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
10.20.09~Readings for Sunday, October 25th-2009/Film Review "Where The Wild Things Are..,"
Bible Study meets 9AM – 10AM in the Mother Cabrini Room at the back of the church
October 25, 2009
Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 149
Reading 1Responsorial PsalmReading 2Gospel
Reading 1
Jer 31:7-9
Thus says the LORD:Shout with joy for Jacob,exult at the head of the nations;proclaim your praise and say:The LORD has delivered his people,the remnant of Israel.Behold, I will bring them backfrom the land of the north;I will gather them from the ends of the world,with the blind and the lame in their midst,the mothers and those with child;they shall return as an immense throng.They departed in tears,but I will console them and guide them;I will lead them to brooks of water,on a level road, so that none shall stumble.For I am a father to Israel,Ephraim is my first-born.
(1) Question—from workbook or other source
Reading II
Heb 5:1-6
Brothers and sisters:Every high priest is taken from among menand made their representative before God,to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins.He is able to deal patiently with the ignorant and erring,for he himself is beset by weaknessand so, for this reason, must make sin offerings for himselfas well as for the people.No one takes this honor upon himselfbut only when called by God,just as Aaron was.In the same way,it was not Christ who glorified himself in becoming high priest,but rather the one who said to him:You are my son:this day I have begotten you; just as he says in another place:You are a priest foreveraccording to the order of Melchizedek.
(1)
GospelMk 10:46-52
As Jesus was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a sizable crowd,Bartimaeus, a blind man, the son of Timaeus,sat by the roadside begging.On hearing that it was Jesus of Nazareth,he began to cry out and say,"Jesus, son of David, have pity on me."And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he kept calling out all the more,"Son of David, have pity on me."Jesus stopped and said, "Call him."So they called the blind man, saying to him,"Take courage; get up, Jesus is calling you."He threw aside his cloak, sprang up, and came to Jesus. Jesus said to him in reply, "What do you want me to do for you?" The blind man replied to him, "Master, I want to see." Jesus told him, "Go your way; your faith has saved you." Immediately he received his sightand followed him on the way.
(1)
Responsorial Psalm
Ps 126:1-2, 2-3, 4-5, 6
R. (3) The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.When the LORD brought back the captives of Zion,we were like men dreaming.Then our mouth was filled with laughter,and our tongue with rejoicing.R. The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.Then they said among the nations,"The LORD has done great things for them."The LORD has done great things for us;we are glad indeed.R. The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.Restore our fortunes, O LORD,like the torrents in the southern desert.Those that sow in tearsshall reap rejoicing.R. The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy. Although they go forth weeping,carrying the seed to be sown,They shall come back rejoicing,carrying their sheaves.R. The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.
Where the Wild Things Are—Intriguing though melancholy fantasy in which a rambunctious young boy (Max Records) quarrels with his divorced mother (Catherine Keener) and runs away from home, eventually sailing to the island abode of the Wild Things, a close-knit but emotionally unstable community of giants (voiced, most prominently, by James Gandolfini and Lauren Ambrose) whose personalities reflect various aspects of the youth's real-life experiences and of his unsettled psychological state. While objectionable elements are minimal, director and co-writer Spike Jonze's subtle adaptation of Maurice Sendak's classic 1963 children's book -- which combines live action, puppetry and computer-generated animation -- far from being a film for kids, is instead a wistful adult meditation on the interior struggles of childhood. Also shown in Imax. Occasional menace and a few mild oaths. A-II -- adults and adolescents
Full Review
Though it's based on a children's book, and though objectionable elements are minimal, the intriguing fantasy "Where the Wild Things Are" (Warner Bros.), which combines live action, puppetry and computer-generated animation, is hardly a film for kids.
Instead, director and co-writer (with Dave Eggers) Spike Jonze's subtle adaptation of Maurice Sendak's classic tale -- winner of the prestigious Caldecott Medal in 1964, the year after its first publication -- is a wistful adult meditation on the interior struggles of youth.
Those battles are fought out within the mind and heart of Max (newcomer Max Records in a compelling performance), a rambunctious but lonely suburban 9-year-old whose excess energy is devoted to scaring his dog, pelting his older sister's friends with snowballs and generally driving his divorced mother (Catherine Keener) up the wall.
Yet Max is also vulnerable, as he shows when Mom seemingly neglects him in favor of some quiet time with her boyfriend (Mark Ruffalo). Volatile Max's gentle pleas for attention quickly give way to a tantrum, and the resulting confrontation ends with him running away from home.
At this point, mundane reality is overtaken by the logic of dreams as Max -- dressed in his favorite outfit, a fuzzy wolf costume, and seemingly undaunted by the fact that it's nighttime -- enters a nearby wood, discovers an empty sailboat and promptly sets off across a vast body of water. After an arduous journey, he arrives at a mysterious island where bright bonfires mark the abode of the titular Wild Things.
This close-knit but emotionally unstable community of giants features a variety of personalities, each of whom reflects either some aspect of Max's real circumstances or of his unsettled psychological state.
Affectionate but easily offended Carol (voice of James Gandolfini), for instance, mirrors Max's yearning for love and security, while loner K.W. (voice of Lauren Ambrose) -- who wavers between belonging to the group and spending time outside it, much to Carol's sorrow, since he secretly pines for her -- represents both Max's adolescent sister, who seems to be abandoning their once-close relationship as she matures, and his own aspirations for independence.
There's a melancholy tone to the proceedings as we witness Max symbolically working through his Freudian conflicts via the constant squabbling and alternatively creative and destructive behavior of the Wild Things. Early on, Max is crowned their king on the strength of some fibs about his prowess. But his ready assurance that his rule will make everyone happy looks increasingly rash, since his every action manages to alienate one or another of his new subjects. Though youngsters addicted to gadgets and demanding distraction will likely be bored, this delicate portrait of the fears and joys of growing up is calculated to charm viewers willing to invest the necessary concentration.
"Where the Wild Things Are" will be shown on both Imax and conventional screens.
The film contains occasional menace and a few mild oaths. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-II -- adults and adolescents. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG -- parental guidance suggested. Some material may not be suitable for children.
October 25, 2009
Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 149
Reading 1Responsorial PsalmReading 2Gospel
Reading 1
Jer 31:7-9
Thus says the LORD:Shout with joy for Jacob,exult at the head of the nations;proclaim your praise and say:The LORD has delivered his people,the remnant of Israel.Behold, I will bring them backfrom the land of the north;I will gather them from the ends of the world,with the blind and the lame in their midst,the mothers and those with child;they shall return as an immense throng.They departed in tears,but I will console them and guide them;I will lead them to brooks of water,on a level road, so that none shall stumble.For I am a father to Israel,Ephraim is my first-born.
(1) Question—from workbook or other source
Reading II
Heb 5:1-6
Brothers and sisters:Every high priest is taken from among menand made their representative before God,to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins.He is able to deal patiently with the ignorant and erring,for he himself is beset by weaknessand so, for this reason, must make sin offerings for himselfas well as for the people.No one takes this honor upon himselfbut only when called by God,just as Aaron was.In the same way,it was not Christ who glorified himself in becoming high priest,but rather the one who said to him:You are my son:this day I have begotten you; just as he says in another place:You are a priest foreveraccording to the order of Melchizedek.
(1)
GospelMk 10:46-52
As Jesus was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a sizable crowd,Bartimaeus, a blind man, the son of Timaeus,sat by the roadside begging.On hearing that it was Jesus of Nazareth,he began to cry out and say,"Jesus, son of David, have pity on me."And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he kept calling out all the more,"Son of David, have pity on me."Jesus stopped and said, "Call him."So they called the blind man, saying to him,"Take courage; get up, Jesus is calling you."He threw aside his cloak, sprang up, and came to Jesus. Jesus said to him in reply, "What do you want me to do for you?" The blind man replied to him, "Master, I want to see." Jesus told him, "Go your way; your faith has saved you." Immediately he received his sightand followed him on the way.
(1)
Responsorial Psalm
Ps 126:1-2, 2-3, 4-5, 6
R. (3) The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.When the LORD brought back the captives of Zion,we were like men dreaming.Then our mouth was filled with laughter,and our tongue with rejoicing.R. The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.Then they said among the nations,"The LORD has done great things for them."The LORD has done great things for us;we are glad indeed.R. The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.Restore our fortunes, O LORD,like the torrents in the southern desert.Those that sow in tearsshall reap rejoicing.R. The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy. Although they go forth weeping,carrying the seed to be sown,They shall come back rejoicing,carrying their sheaves.R. The Lord has done great things for us; we are filled with joy.
Where the Wild Things Are—Intriguing though melancholy fantasy in which a rambunctious young boy (Max Records) quarrels with his divorced mother (Catherine Keener) and runs away from home, eventually sailing to the island abode of the Wild Things, a close-knit but emotionally unstable community of giants (voiced, most prominently, by James Gandolfini and Lauren Ambrose) whose personalities reflect various aspects of the youth's real-life experiences and of his unsettled psychological state. While objectionable elements are minimal, director and co-writer Spike Jonze's subtle adaptation of Maurice Sendak's classic 1963 children's book -- which combines live action, puppetry and computer-generated animation -- far from being a film for kids, is instead a wistful adult meditation on the interior struggles of childhood. Also shown in Imax. Occasional menace and a few mild oaths. A-II -- adults and adolescents
Full Review
Though it's based on a children's book, and though objectionable elements are minimal, the intriguing fantasy "Where the Wild Things Are" (Warner Bros.), which combines live action, puppetry and computer-generated animation, is hardly a film for kids.
Instead, director and co-writer (with Dave Eggers) Spike Jonze's subtle adaptation of Maurice Sendak's classic tale -- winner of the prestigious Caldecott Medal in 1964, the year after its first publication -- is a wistful adult meditation on the interior struggles of youth.
Those battles are fought out within the mind and heart of Max (newcomer Max Records in a compelling performance), a rambunctious but lonely suburban 9-year-old whose excess energy is devoted to scaring his dog, pelting his older sister's friends with snowballs and generally driving his divorced mother (Catherine Keener) up the wall.
Yet Max is also vulnerable, as he shows when Mom seemingly neglects him in favor of some quiet time with her boyfriend (Mark Ruffalo). Volatile Max's gentle pleas for attention quickly give way to a tantrum, and the resulting confrontation ends with him running away from home.
At this point, mundane reality is overtaken by the logic of dreams as Max -- dressed in his favorite outfit, a fuzzy wolf costume, and seemingly undaunted by the fact that it's nighttime -- enters a nearby wood, discovers an empty sailboat and promptly sets off across a vast body of water. After an arduous journey, he arrives at a mysterious island where bright bonfires mark the abode of the titular Wild Things.
This close-knit but emotionally unstable community of giants features a variety of personalities, each of whom reflects either some aspect of Max's real circumstances or of his unsettled psychological state.
Affectionate but easily offended Carol (voice of James Gandolfini), for instance, mirrors Max's yearning for love and security, while loner K.W. (voice of Lauren Ambrose) -- who wavers between belonging to the group and spending time outside it, much to Carol's sorrow, since he secretly pines for her -- represents both Max's adolescent sister, who seems to be abandoning their once-close relationship as she matures, and his own aspirations for independence.
There's a melancholy tone to the proceedings as we witness Max symbolically working through his Freudian conflicts via the constant squabbling and alternatively creative and destructive behavior of the Wild Things. Early on, Max is crowned their king on the strength of some fibs about his prowess. But his ready assurance that his rule will make everyone happy looks increasingly rash, since his every action manages to alienate one or another of his new subjects. Though youngsters addicted to gadgets and demanding distraction will likely be bored, this delicate portrait of the fears and joys of growing up is calculated to charm viewers willing to invest the necessary concentration.
"Where the Wild Things Are" will be shown on both Imax and conventional screens.
The film contains occasional menace and a few mild oaths. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-II -- adults and adolescents. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG -- parental guidance suggested. Some material may not be suitable for children.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
10.18.09 Bible Study/Michael Moore film review - "Capitalism: A Love Story,"
October 18, 2009 - Bible Study meets on Fridays 9-10AM in MCR
Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 146Reading 1Responsorial PsalmReading 2Gospel
Reading 1Is 53:10-11The LORD was pleasedto crush him in infirmity.
If he gives his life as an offering for sin,he shall see his descendants in a long life,and the will of the LORD shall be accomplished through him.
Because of his afflictionhe shall see the light in fullnessof days;through his suffering, my servant shall justify many,and their guilt he shall bear.
(1)
Reading IIHeb 4:14-16
Brothers and sisters:Since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God,let us hold fast to our confession.For we do not have a high priestwho is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses,but one who has similarly been tested in every way,yet without sin. So let us confidently approach the throne of graceto receive mercy and to find grace for timely help.
(1)
GospelMk 10:35-45 or 10:42-45James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus and said to him,"Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you." He replied, "What do you wish me to do for you?" They answered him, "Grant that in your glorywe may sit one at your right and the other at your left." Jesus said to them, "You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the cup that I drinkor be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?" They said to him, "We can." Jesus said to them, "The cup that I drink, you will drink,and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized;but to sit at my right or at my left is not mine to givebut is for those for whom it has been prepared." When the ten heard this, they became indignant at James and John. Jesus summoned them and said to them,"You know that those who are recognized as rulers over the Gentileslord it over them,and their great ones make their authority over them felt. But it shall not be so among you.Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant;whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all. For the Son of Man did not come to be servedbut to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many."
or
Jesus summoned the twelve and said to them,"You know that those who are recognized as rulers over the Gentileslord it over them,and their great ones make their authority over them felt. But it shall not be so among you. Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant;whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all. For the Son of Man did not come to be servedbut to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many."
(1)
Responsorial PsalmPs 33:4-5, 18-19, 20, 22R. (22)Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.Upright is the word of the LORD,and all his works are trustworthy.He loves justice and right;of the kindness of the LORD the earth is full.R. Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.See, the eyes of the LORD are upon those who fear him,upon those who hope for his kindness,To deliver them from deathand preserve them in spite of famine.R. Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.Our soul waits for the LORD,who is our help and our shield.May your kindness, O LORD, be upon uswho have put our hope in you.R. Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.
Hard-hitting but at times overly simplistic documentary in which filmmaker Michael Moore highlights numerous dysfunctional aspects of the capitalist system in the U.S. and their negative effects on working people, who are thrown into unemployment or have their homes seized in foreclosure, ultimately calling for an economic revolution that would bring democracy to the workplace. Though Moore interviews two Catholic priests and Auxiliary Bishop emeritus Thomas Gumbleton of Detroit, who are unanimous in condemning capitalism as inherently sinful, this is not the teaching of the full magisterium, which instead recognizes both the efficiencies of the free market system and its need to be prudently regulated, while upholding the human dignity of workers, particularly their right to unionize. At least three uses of the F-word, a couple of crude terms. A-III -- adults. (R) 2009
Full ReviewFilmmaker Michael Moore, who first brought his idiosyncratic but effective style of cinematic advocacy to bear on economic questions in his 1989 directorial debut “Roger & Me” -- focusing on the role of General Motors’ management in the decline of his hometown of Flint, Mich. -- takes on the American entrepreneurial system as a whole in the ironically titled “Capitalism: A Love Story” (Overture).
The result is a hard-hitting but at times overly simplistic documentary.Moore is at his best in chronicling the effects of economic dysfunction on vulnerable individuals and families, as a large group of Chicago factory workers are summarily thrown into unemployment or a farming couple faces foreclosure. And he manages to uncover more unusual – and more outrageous – examples of corporate greed gone haywire.
It’s disturbing to learn, for instance, that a number of airline pilots supplement their meager paychecks with food stamps or by selling their blood plasma, and that large corporations secretly take out life insurance policies on low-level employees, calculating that a certain percentage of them will end up as -- to quote the callous and insulting phrase used in the companies’ internal documents -- “dead peasants.”
But by far the most unsettling story Moore tells involves two corrupt Wilkes-Barre, Pa. judges who accepted bribes from a local for-profit juvenile detention facility in exchange for sentencing scores of young people to imprisonment there, often for the most trivial offences.
Moore is on shakier ground, though, when he examines economic history. He idealizes the days when top U.S. earners paid 90% income tax, claiming that this made possible not only the maintenance of the national infrastructure but the generous contracts under which unionized employees enjoyed numerous benefits, including free health and dental care.
He also blames the disappearance of American heavy industry entirely on the policies of President Ronald Reagan and his first Treasury Secretary, Donald Regan.
Ultimately, Moore calls for an economic revolution that would uproot capitalism completely. In its stead, he seems to favor, not the extreme socialism of the old Soviet system, but a cooperative model of democracy in the workplace, with each employee and manager an equal shareholder. Where the initial investment to establish new workplaces is to be found he fails to mention.
For a spiritual perspective, Moore – who speaks with great warmth of his Catholic childhood, of the kindly nuns who educated him and of his admiration for the clergy -- interviews are two Catholic priests who are family friends and Auxiliary Bishop emeritus Thomas Gumbleton of Detroit. The three are unanimous in condemning capitalism as inherently sinful.
Yet this is not the teaching of the full magisterium, which instead takes a more moderate stance, recognizing both the efficiencies of the free market system and its need to be prudently regulated, while upholding the human dignity of workers, particularly their right to unionize.
The film contains at least three uses of the F-word and a couple of crude terms. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-III -- adults. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R -- restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.
Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 146Reading 1Responsorial PsalmReading 2Gospel
Reading 1Is 53:10-11The LORD was pleasedto crush him in infirmity.
If he gives his life as an offering for sin,he shall see his descendants in a long life,and the will of the LORD shall be accomplished through him.
Because of his afflictionhe shall see the light in fullnessof days;through his suffering, my servant shall justify many,and their guilt he shall bear.
(1)
Reading IIHeb 4:14-16
Brothers and sisters:Since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God,let us hold fast to our confession.For we do not have a high priestwho is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses,but one who has similarly been tested in every way,yet without sin. So let us confidently approach the throne of graceto receive mercy and to find grace for timely help.
(1)
GospelMk 10:35-45 or 10:42-45James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus and said to him,"Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you." He replied, "What do you wish me to do for you?" They answered him, "Grant that in your glorywe may sit one at your right and the other at your left." Jesus said to them, "You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the cup that I drinkor be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?" They said to him, "We can." Jesus said to them, "The cup that I drink, you will drink,and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized;but to sit at my right or at my left is not mine to givebut is for those for whom it has been prepared." When the ten heard this, they became indignant at James and John. Jesus summoned them and said to them,"You know that those who are recognized as rulers over the Gentileslord it over them,and their great ones make their authority over them felt. But it shall not be so among you.Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant;whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all. For the Son of Man did not come to be servedbut to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many."
or
Jesus summoned the twelve and said to them,"You know that those who are recognized as rulers over the Gentileslord it over them,and their great ones make their authority over them felt. But it shall not be so among you. Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant;whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all. For the Son of Man did not come to be servedbut to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many."
(1)
Responsorial PsalmPs 33:4-5, 18-19, 20, 22R. (22)Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.Upright is the word of the LORD,and all his works are trustworthy.He loves justice and right;of the kindness of the LORD the earth is full.R. Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.See, the eyes of the LORD are upon those who fear him,upon those who hope for his kindness,To deliver them from deathand preserve them in spite of famine.R. Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.Our soul waits for the LORD,who is our help and our shield.May your kindness, O LORD, be upon uswho have put our hope in you.R. Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.
Hard-hitting but at times overly simplistic documentary in which filmmaker Michael Moore highlights numerous dysfunctional aspects of the capitalist system in the U.S. and their negative effects on working people, who are thrown into unemployment or have their homes seized in foreclosure, ultimately calling for an economic revolution that would bring democracy to the workplace. Though Moore interviews two Catholic priests and Auxiliary Bishop emeritus Thomas Gumbleton of Detroit, who are unanimous in condemning capitalism as inherently sinful, this is not the teaching of the full magisterium, which instead recognizes both the efficiencies of the free market system and its need to be prudently regulated, while upholding the human dignity of workers, particularly their right to unionize. At least three uses of the F-word, a couple of crude terms. A-III -- adults. (R) 2009
Full ReviewFilmmaker Michael Moore, who first brought his idiosyncratic but effective style of cinematic advocacy to bear on economic questions in his 1989 directorial debut “Roger & Me” -- focusing on the role of General Motors’ management in the decline of his hometown of Flint, Mich. -- takes on the American entrepreneurial system as a whole in the ironically titled “Capitalism: A Love Story” (Overture).
The result is a hard-hitting but at times overly simplistic documentary.Moore is at his best in chronicling the effects of economic dysfunction on vulnerable individuals and families, as a large group of Chicago factory workers are summarily thrown into unemployment or a farming couple faces foreclosure. And he manages to uncover more unusual – and more outrageous – examples of corporate greed gone haywire.
It’s disturbing to learn, for instance, that a number of airline pilots supplement their meager paychecks with food stamps or by selling their blood plasma, and that large corporations secretly take out life insurance policies on low-level employees, calculating that a certain percentage of them will end up as -- to quote the callous and insulting phrase used in the companies’ internal documents -- “dead peasants.”
But by far the most unsettling story Moore tells involves two corrupt Wilkes-Barre, Pa. judges who accepted bribes from a local for-profit juvenile detention facility in exchange for sentencing scores of young people to imprisonment there, often for the most trivial offences.
Moore is on shakier ground, though, when he examines economic history. He idealizes the days when top U.S. earners paid 90% income tax, claiming that this made possible not only the maintenance of the national infrastructure but the generous contracts under which unionized employees enjoyed numerous benefits, including free health and dental care.
He also blames the disappearance of American heavy industry entirely on the policies of President Ronald Reagan and his first Treasury Secretary, Donald Regan.
Ultimately, Moore calls for an economic revolution that would uproot capitalism completely. In its stead, he seems to favor, not the extreme socialism of the old Soviet system, but a cooperative model of democracy in the workplace, with each employee and manager an equal shareholder. Where the initial investment to establish new workplaces is to be found he fails to mention.
For a spiritual perspective, Moore – who speaks with great warmth of his Catholic childhood, of the kindly nuns who educated him and of his admiration for the clergy -- interviews are two Catholic priests who are family friends and Auxiliary Bishop emeritus Thomas Gumbleton of Detroit. The three are unanimous in condemning capitalism as inherently sinful.
Yet this is not the teaching of the full magisterium, which instead takes a more moderate stance, recognizing both the efficiencies of the free market system and its need to be prudently regulated, while upholding the human dignity of workers, particularly their right to unionize.
The film contains at least three uses of the F-word and a couple of crude terms. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-III -- adults. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is R -- restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.
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