What do you know about the Spotlight movie?

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And do you think you’ll see it?

I might, from what I’ve heard it’s an early favorite for some awards. The Boston scandal is the story, but the main subjects are the Boston Globe people who won a Pulitzer for their reporting.

These are the links I’ve looked at that have told me some things about the movie.

bostonglobe.com/arts/movies/2015/11/03/superb-spotlight-tells-story-journalists-who-investigated-clergy-sex-abuse-scandal/fHKF2YxUGUXcLVl3lfs2MI/story.html
bostonglobe.com/lifestyle/names/2015/10/30/how-spotlight-movie-got-made/wXVXUiYPkoF3hEP9K4dydP/story.html
bostonglobe.com/arts/movies/2015/10/28/the-real-people-behind-spotlight-characters/SktMepoMe7ZB2c0cIF90HI/story.html
bostonglobe.com/arts/movies/2014/11/29/spotlightfilm-intro/d8Tp3MQ4Y0OQA3JZgABkeO/story.html

All from the Boston Globe, incidentally. Whatever Catholic articles and reviews are out there on the topic, I haven’t tracked them down or vetted them yet. Maybe something will fall in my lap on this thread.

Has anyone seen it yet? What does the Catholic portion of the internet seem to think of it so far?
 
I just heard of it an hour or so ago. Supposedly, Vatican Radio and Cardinal O’Malley have said it was very well done.
 
I’m almost certainly going to see it and form my own opinion. I expect that it might arouse scrutiny as well as interest in both the Church and the journalism profession. Whether or not you plan to see it, be prepared for a lot of conversation surrounding it leading right through Oscar season.
 
Cor_ad_Cor said:
I just heard of it an hour or so ago. Supposedly, Vatican Radio and Cardinal O’Malley have said it was very well done.
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I think a film reviewer from Vatican Radio said it was good. (cruxnow.com/life/2015/10/23/vatican-radio-praises-movie-on-boston-globe-coverage-of-clergy-abuse/)

Cardinal O’Malley himself never endorsed the film. By his statement, it seems like he was using the movie as a bridge to remind people of the media’s role in sexual abuse, a request for forgiveness, and the invitation to report any case of abuse by workers of the Archdiocese of Boston to contact the correct authorities. (bostoncatholic.org/Utility/News-And-Press/Content.aspx?id=31750) This is the Archdiocese of Boston’s website.

Bill Donohue of the Catholic League has a different view on Spotlight.
catholicleague.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/SHINING-THE-LIGHT-ON-SPOTLIGHT.pdf

Bill Donohue does NOT deny that the sex abuse scandal never happened. In his own words, “When interviewed about the scandal in 2002 by the New York Times, I
said, ‘I am not the church’s water boy. I am not here to defend the
indefensible.’ In the Catholic League’s 2002 Annual Report, I even
defended the media.’ The Boston Globe, the Boston Herald, and the New
York Times covered the story with professionalism,’ I wrote.”

However, Donohue argues that Spotlight is guilty of perpetuating two myths: 1) The scandal never ended. 2) Celibacy is the root cause.

To read Donohue’s analysis, read the Catholic League’s link I have provided up above.
 
There used to be a phrase: “wallowing in Watergate.” This seems to be the same thing. With the added edge of commercial profit, and a new excuse to demonize the Church. Problem is, any Church figure criticizing the “received wisdom” embodied in the film will be seen as just justifying the abuse and continuing the cover-up/denial. A total no-win.
 
This is the first I have heard of the movie. It is about the sex abuse scandal? Is it a documentary?
 
  • This is a comment I’ve read on it that got to me:
bostonglobe.com/metro/2015/11/07/cullen/rfZwg5YKS6cB1uLveuF0jJ/story.html

WARNING - not an easy read

(I don’t know if there is a hidden “Boston Globe bias” in the piece or not)
  • A different Boston newspaper was covering the cases in 2001 anyway
  • after the case reports in Louisiana in 1984-5 some experts approached the bishops with what would have been a relatively excellent plan in the circumstances (I read about this years ago. I don’t know if it is still in the public domain now)
  • whoever was in positions of responsibilities should have thought of the points Tarpeian makes during the mid 20th century or at the latest in 1985. Come to think of it was I praying enough for Church leaders in 1985? Were Church leaders asking for our prayers, enough (as part of the Gospel they preached to us) in 1985?
  • the crisis didn’t end in Judge Susan Kelley’s court room, and that is less down to her than who should have given it more thought not only in 1985 but - in that locality - after then too
 
I’m deeply suspicious of any art critical of the Catholic Church, especially when critics rave about it. (I might except a good movie about the Reformations, heh heh heh.) Secular media just loves to attack Christianity, and the RCC is a nice, big target.

Mind: I think the whole child abuse coverup was absolutely appalling. I am just concerned that this is going to provide ways for critics to talk about how lousy the Church is, today.
 
it sounds like a film that would not be easy to watch.
Thank goodness the sex abuse cases were uncovered and these terrible priests brought to justice. it sickens me that it ever happened and you wonder about some victims who remained silent or perhaps cases that happened even years earlier.
 
The combox hatred is boiling over already and the film hasn’t even officially opened yet…
 
Maybe.

When it premieres it’s most likely going to put bad feelings towards the Catholic Church.
Modern_Revert said:
The combox hatred is boiling over already and the film hasn’t even officially opened yet…
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There used to be a phrase: “wallowing in Watergate.” This seems to be the same thing. With the added edge of commercial profit, and a new excuse to demonize the Church. Problem is, any Church figure criticizing the “received wisdom” embodied in the film will be seen as just justifying the abuse and continuing the cover-up/denial. A total no-win.
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Mind: I think the whole child abuse coverup was absolutely appalling. I am just concerned that this is going to provide ways for critics to talk about how lousy the Church is, today.
Click to expand...
All of the above.
 
It’s easy to get statistics on the Catholic Church because of its size and records. It’s one great big entity. Protestant Evangelical salways escape scrutiny, because they are all broken up. When added together, they are actually 12 percent higher than the Catholic Church in terms of sex abuse. According to Billy Graham’s grand son, Boz T. (I forget who to spell his last name), sex abuse in evangelical circles is far worse, especially in the mission fields. If anyone cares to research it, google Billy Graham’s grandson and sex abuse. It comes right up. One community that has suppressed much sex abuse is the Jewish Orthodox community in Brooklyn, New York, going as far as attempting to throw acid in the face of the Rabbi whistle-blower. The truth is that this predatory behavior is in every community, and when discovered it’s met with shock and dismay, and unfortunately, the first inclination is to mums the word. Shame on any bishop who sends molesters to different parishes. They need to immediately call the authorities, and then worry about rehabilitating a priest. Some have the opinion that this happens, because of priestly celibacy. Nothing could be further from the truth. These predators put themselves in these positions for a reason, much like school sports coaches caught doing the same thing. A lot of abuse also takes place in the missions in different countries where it’s easier to get away with and the authorities are not as tough and the reports don’t make it back to the states.
 
Midwest88 said:
Maybe.

When it premieres it’s most likely going to put bad feelings towards the Catholic Church.
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Putting anything about this topic in front of the public is a bit like discussing how black people got to America. In the end, the bare facts are going to make black people feel rather badly, at a minimum, toward a solid chunk of white people from several generations ago.

Sanitizing that story in order to try and prevent black people from becoming upset with Any white person Ever is an endeavor that does happen sometimes and it meets with well-deserved criticism.

We should tell the truth about our history.

At this point in time I couldn’t tell you the names of any reporter for the Boston Globe, but this was really important and from what I know so far, the reporters were very well researched and their personalities are represented as well as they can be. I’ll be paying special attention to the Catholic reporters in order to see what they tend to do with the whole situation. That’s another thing I don’t know anything about.

Bernard Law is the one point of concern for me as of now, I’m reasonably certain that he wasn’t researched as intensively and despite being a very public figure, I’m not so sure if his character is extremely accurate. That may require some extra digging.

Overall though, all parts taken together, this movie is likely to go down as the main source for the next generation’s collective memory of the event, especially for anyone born in the 90’s and later. Even for people born much earlier, if they never lived near Boston this may be their main opportunity to fill in a lot of details.
 
This is a definitely damaging stain on the Catholic Church, even if it’s only four percent of the clergy involved in this mess. What’s worse is anyone trying to cover up these atrocities, but in the end, after Christ gave Peter the keys of the kingdom, the petrine office that never ends, similar to when looking for a replacement for Judas “May another take his office,” Christ stated “the gates of hades will not prevail.” He didn’t say they wouldn’t come. How interesting that Christ would go all the way to Caesarea Philippi for this event, 20 miles north of the sea of Galilee where there was a huge mountainous rock
with a temple dedicated to Caesar Augustus at the top.

For the spiritual, none of this should come as a surprise, especially if you’re familiar with the parable of the wheat and the tares. The devil is always at work. Regardless, the Catholic Church will always be the largest branch of Christianity and the citadel of Christianity. The church will continue. God used them to give us the canon of scripture. Today my son will be confirmed, and I plan to celebrate. As for me and my house, we shall serve the Lord and continue attending mass and adoring our most blessed sacrament.
 
I happened to see a clip on a local tv station’s movie review. they gave it a good score. the cast looks good. I was not Catholic when the Boston Globe did this investigation. Of course, I read about some of the scandals when the stories broke. For a Catholic, this would be a difficult movie to watch, but, for me, I would like to know the story behind the investigation. how they discovered the evidence, etc.
it looks like the movie has already earned many awards. Now that I am aCatholic, it saddens me how much damage these priests have done.
I continue to pray for our priests and the Catholic Church.
 
What’s just as sad is that Hollywood loves to make the movies that cast the church in its worst light, when their good far exceeds the bad. There’s a definite agenda.
 
GiveTheTruth said:
What’s just as sad is that Hollywood loves to make the movies that cast the church in its worst light, when their good far exceeds the bad. There’s a definite agenda.
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What is especially sad is that the abusive priests and complicit bishops handed this issue on a silver platter to those who hate the Church.

I grew up in the Boston area, and my family is still there. One of the guilty priests conducted my sister’s wedding; two more were in my parish while I was in elementary school. Cardinal Law should have been banished to a monastery rather than given a cushy post in Rome.

In the diocese where we now live, I still see evidence of clericalism and “circling the wagons” if there is a hint of priestly misconduct. Some bishops haven’t learned yet.

Spotlight will be a difficult movie to watch, especially as a Catholic. I am grateful to the journalists of the Globe for shining a light on the abuse and cover-ups; I am also grateful to those who participated in this movie, as we must never forget the damage that was done and the trust that was broken.
 
dixieagle said:
What is especially sad is that the abusive priests and complicit bishops handed this issue on a silver platter to those who hate the Church.

I grew up in the Boston area, and my family is still there. One of the guilty priests conducted my sister’s wedding; two more were in my parish while I was in elementary school. Cardinal Law should have been banished to a monastery rather than given a cushy post in Rome.

In the diocese where we now live, I still see evidence of clericalism and “circling the wagons” if there is a hint of priestly misconduct. Some bishops haven’t learned yet.

Spotlight will be a difficult movie to watch, especially as a Catholic. I am grateful to the journalists of the Globe for shining a light on the abuse and cover-ups; I am also grateful to those who participated in this movie, as we must never forget the damage that was done and the trust that was broken.
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👍
 
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