Letter From a Priest

Commentator-comic Bill Maher plays devil's advocate with religion as he talks to believers about their faith. Traveling around the world, Maher examines the tenets of Christianity, Judaism and Islam and raises questions about homosexuality, proof of Christ's existence, Jewish Sabbath laws, violent Muslim extremists.

In his lifetime, Thomas Merton was hailed as a prophet and censured for his outspoken social criticism. For nearly 27 years he was a monk of the austere Trappist order, where he became an eloquent spiritual writer and mystic as well as an anti-war advocate and witness to peace. Merton: A Film Biography provides the first comprehensive look at this remarkable 20th century religious philosopher who wrote, in addition to his immensely popular autobiography The Seven Storey Mountain, over 60 books on some of the most pressing social issues of our time, some of which are excerpted here. Merton offers an engaging profile of a man whose presence in the world touched millions of people and whose words and thoughts continue to have a profound impact and relevance today.

Father Michael McGivney is a documentary that brings to life the story of one of America's most extraordinary Catholic priests. Born in Connecticut of Irish immigrant parents just a few years before the Civil War, Michael McGivney grew up at a time when millions of Catholic immigrants were struggling to overcome poverty and prejudice. As a parish priest in the gritty New England manufacturing town of New Haven, he made a deep impact on his community, earning the respect of the Protestant establishment and the love of his parishioners at St. Mary's Church. Emboldened to care for families threatened by the death of the breadwinner, Fr. McGivney founded the Knights of Columbus, a mutual benefit society that today remains the world's largest Catholic lay organization with 1.8 million members in 13 nations. This film offers a rare glimpse into the life of an extraordinary priest and visionary leader. (Released 2014)

Servant of God Fr. Emil Kapaun may not be well-known. But he should be. The son of Czech immigrants, Fr. Kapaun grew up on a small Kansas farm. But this seemingly ordinary farm boy became one of the most inspiring heroes of the Korean War-and unlike many war heroes, this military chaplain is also on the road to sainthood. His cause for canonization has been opened by the Diocese of Wichita, and two medical miracles attributed to him are being investigated by the Vatican. He has also been nominated for the highest military medal, the Medal of Honor. In this powerful documentary, learn his inspiring life story, his heroic work as a chaplain during battle, and his leadership and comfort of fellow American prisoners after capture and torture by the Communists. (Released 2010)

The story of Catholic iconoclast Michael Pfleger who made it his mission to transform the drug ravaged south side Chicago community surrounding his parish. In so doing, Father Mike has run directly into conflict with the local Catholic hierarchy. The film explores issues of racism, the power of the media, and the tension between Pfleger's 'gospel of the streets' versus traditional Church theology.

An intimate portrayal of the everyday lives of Carthusian monks of the Grande Chartreuse, high in the French Alps (Chartreuse Mountains). The idea for the film was proposed to the monks in 1984, but the Carthusians said they wanted time to think about it. The Carthusians finally contacted Gröning 16 years later to say they were now willing to permit Gröning to shoot the movie, if he was still interested.

Having survived 24 arduous years imprisoned in a camp in Russia -- without hope of freedom, either physical or religious -- Father Walter Ciszek receives his just due as a hero and inspiration in this documentary. Soon after his tale of courage and conviction was finally brought to light, this legendary priest helped reignite the Catholic movement in Russia, as evidenced by the faithful followers profiled in this moving film.

In a world losing itself to screens, teenage mystic Carlo Acutis saw beyond our social media-addicted society and offered an answer—if we’re willing to listen. Carlo Acutis: Roadmap to Reality explores the life of the first millennial saint while following teens on a phone-free pilgrimage to his tomb, immersing them in his story, his passion for Christ, and a search for meaning in a digital age.

We often have ideas of religious life... either kneeling in a convent or out in the streets assisting the poor. While both of these scenes are essential to the life as a sister, Light of Love takes a deeper look into understanding the call... the "why" of religious life. By interviewing five sisters from five orders across the United States, the film places viewers face to face in intimate conversations with these amazing women. What does it mean to be called? What are the struggles of religious life? How have you seen God move through your ministry? These questions and others are addressed throughout the film. The film itself is very simple: 60 minutes designed for viewers to quiet their surroundings and enter into convent, the food pantry, the hospital, and the chapel. With minimal music and simple visuals, Light of Love gives viewers a look into the lives, suffering, and joys of religious life captured in a way like never before.

Stanley Kubrick’s debut documentary, following Irish-American middleweight boxer Walter Cartier on April 17, 1950—the day of his bout with Bobby James. The film traces Cartier’s quiet morning rituals, training, and anxious hours before the match, culminating in his swift victory that night in Newark. Opening with a brief history of boxing, Kubrick’s tightly crafted short captures the discipline, isolation, and tension behind a fighter’s daily routine.

In a small chapel in Zug, Switzerland, a legend tells of a hidden treasure. There is only one rule: remain silent, and in time, the treasure will be yours. But the moment the silence is broken, it is lost forever. What if the treasure was never gold or jewels, but the chapel itself—a place where silence is still possible? Perhaps we have forgotten how to remain silent, and with that, we risk losing one of the last places that still allows it. Gottlos Beten follows the decline of a sacred place.

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A Schweitzer of Korea Father LEE Tae-seok, devoted his life in Sudan; a remote area of Africa.

After graduating from Texas A&M as a petroleum engineer with a promising career ahead of him, Fr. Ryan Stawaisz felt God calling him to the priesthood. A year before his ordination, Ryan was diagnosed with cancer, and his desire became not only to DO God's will, but to LOVE God's will. Despite his battle with cancer, Fr. Ryan remained steadfast in his desire to serve others and to share the love of Christ with everyone who crossed his path. This is his story.

A religious young man's identity is called into question when he visits a conversion therapist.

Raymond Roy is a 64-year-old idealist, an energetic social activist ready to give everything he has to those living on the edge: the alienated, impoverished and exploited members of society. Raymond is also a priest, doing what he has wanted to do ever since he was a teenager. Filmmaker Serge Giguère paints an intimate portrait of a man who has spent 30 years fighting for an alternative vision of life in his community. The film is a blend of cinema vérité and social history that provides a view of the man and his work from without and within, from the poetry of his personal diary laced with doubts and self-criticism, to the many achievements of the community groups he helped. Filming over several years, Giguère gives us a sense of the changes in values and attitudes of those who run our society, along with the role of the community groups who provide solutions, inspiration and a sense of renewal.

This is the definitive biography of the saint from Pietrelcina, Italy. With one hour of filmed material, much of which has never been seen before, this film introduces the faithful to every aspect of the life, spirituality, and work of this 20th century saint.

The history of nuns mirrors the history of all women -- in what we are taught about the past, women are almost invisible. Although today's one million nuns outnumber priests two to one, they must struggle to be heard by the all-male Roman Catholic hierarchy from which they are excluded. Behind the Veil: Nuns is the first film ever to record from a global perspective the turbulent history and remarkable achievements of women in religion, from pre-Christian Celtic communities to the radical sisters of the 1980s. Contemporary nuns of strength, dignity and commitment speak of their lives and of their predecessors.

Pope John Paul II's historic nine-day pilgrimage to Poland in June of 1979

It's the smallest and most mysterious army in the world: the Swiss Guard. The film follows these men of faith and combat, from their recruitment in Switzerland to their military training in the heart of the Vatican. Made up of 150 men, this elite corps lives in barracks in the center of Vatican City. All must be Swiss citizens and devout Catholics. They have all sworn to fight to the death to protect their faith and the Holy Father. They are heirs to a 500-year-old tradition in which the Pope's protection and security were ensured by Swiss mercenaries. Trained in the use of both halberds and semi-automatic rifles, the Swiss Guards form a unique army. But who are they really? What motivates these young men to join this military and religious body? A dive into a world normally closed to the cameras.