In last week’s edition I had a special article about the media and the 9/11 attacks. Films are still being made about the tragedy.
Colm Flynn’s excellent new programme Hope after 9/11 – Stories of Faith and Courage (EWTN, Saturday), explored the role played by religious faith, mainly through inspiring personal stories. The story of Fr Mychal Judge, the Franciscan who died helping others that awful day, was familiar, but here we learned of other Franciscans who helped – heading towards danger as others escaped. We met an FBI chaplain who helped the families of those killed when the hijacked flight United 93 crashed in Pennsylvania. Another young priest happened to be near the Pentagon when a plane hit that building and he immediately tended to the injured and dying. A woman of faith spoke movingly of her mother who died in the Twin Towers attack. A man spoke of helping a woman to escape from one of the towers – they were among the last out just in time, having walked down 71 floors. He had been a practising Catholic, but, after a personal crisis, developed a deeper relationship with God, inspired by something written about him by the woman he rescued, and since then he has been ordained a deacon in his parish. We heard from the diplomat who became the new US Ambassador to the Holy See, presenting his credentials, along with a security briefing about the investigation, to Pope John Paul II, two days after 9/11.
People described how there was an outpouring of evil that day, but also how it was followed by an outpouring of grace as people performed heroic acts of service. For many of those involved, prayer was part of the story, from the captain of Air Force One to the woman reciting Psalm 23 on her way down the Twin Towers stairs. Colm Flynn also explored the broad religious issues – how some cried to God for help, how some got angry, how some wondered how people could do such terrible things in the name of God.
The assault on life never lets up. The bill on assisted suicide was back in the English parliament last Friday. Among the commentators, Liz Carr, actress and disability campaigner, spoke against the bill on Times Radio Breakfast (Friday). She was due to join a protest outside the House of Commons later that day. Echoing something she quoted from PM Andy Burnham, she thought that this matter shouldn’t be considered until social care and palliative care services were sorted out. She felt that disabled people like herself were particularly vulnerable. The presenters, Callum McDonald and Rosie Wright were respectful and understanding of her point of view. In general, I have found the debate in the UK to be much more mature than ours, with several strong voices against the bill from prominent political figures, including Labour MP, Ashley Dalton, heard on Sky News and Times Radio that night, who had herself received a terminal diagnosis. It was a private members bill, and by end of day we learned that the bill was defeated, albeit narrowly.
On the borderline of real-life and fictional violence is The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox (Disney +), a challenging series to review. On the plus side it’s thoroughly engaging and gripping, with a powerful central performance by Grace Van Patten as Knox, with our own Sharon Horgan in fine form as her mother. If you’re not familiar with the true story, of a murder in Italy, this makes for a bizarre thriller, with several unexpected twists and turns that would never seem credible in a fictional drama.
There is a sympathetically portrayed priest at the heart of it. Kindly and intelligent, Don Saulo (Alfredo Pea) is the prison chaplain and a source of comfort and strength to the imprisoned Knox. Their discussions are deep and interesting. He also tries to facilitate reconciliation – between Knox and her prosecutor after her guilty verdict is quashed on appeal. Their conversations in the last episode are intense and intriguing.
However, the language is foul, consistently, and the crime scene details are grim, not least as there was a sexual element. Also, this tells the story primarily from Knox’s viewpoint, being based on two books she wrote and one written by her co-accused, Rafaele Sollecito, also exonerated. She is also listed as Executive Producer. So, are we getting the full truth? Are other characters treated fairly?
Pick of the week
The Making of a Missionary Pope: the Journey of Leo XIV
EWTN, Saturday, September 19, 11am and 8pm
From his Chicago roots and Augustinian formation near Philadelphia to decades of missionary service in Peru and leadership in Rome, four places helped shape Robert Prevost into Pope Leo XIV.
Nationwide
RTÉ One, Sunday, September 20, 8am
Nationwide explores the history of two different burial grounds in Ireland, Glasnevin Cemetery in Dublin and St Joseph’s Cemetery in Cork city.
Movie: HIDDEN FIGURES
Film 4, Monday, September 21, 6.20pm
(2016) Fact-based drama about three women, whose genius in mathematics and engineering made a significant contribution to the space race. Positive towards religion, with themes of racism and sexism.
