February 3, 2010

Retired priest turns love of movies into spiritual fare for others

By John Gleason

“I’m ready for my close-up, Mr. Demille.”—Gloria Swanson as Norma Desmond

Many film buffs can picture the final scene from the 1950 movie classic, “Sunset Boulevard,” about an aging film queen who is caught in her own personal time warp.  Film is a study of the human condition and, depending on the subject matter, can be a reflection on the world of the Catholic Church.

One retired priest of the Archdiocese of Denver, Father James Kleiner, took his passion for film and used it to develop spiritually-based programs on the effect film can have on people.  Originally from Milwaukee, Wis., Father Kleiner said that, as a lad, he spent a lot of his spare time at the movies.  His favorites included cowboy hero Hopalong Cassidy as portrayed by a variety of actors, and Western film actors Gene Autry and Roy Rodgers.

“Saturday and Sunday we’d go to the movies,” he said.  “We had a double feature, cartoon and weekly serial.”

But the childhood enthusiasm for film didn’t deter him from following his heart and call.  Instead of a career behind the camera, he entered the seminary and was ordained in Ottawa, Canada in 1967.  In the early 1970s Father Kleiner decided he wanted to get into communication and earned a social communications degree. He taught world film at a community college in Canada and worked as communications director for the Archdiocese of Ottawa before coming to Colorado.  While pastor at St. Joan of Arc Parish in Arvada, he organized “Movie Nights with the Pastor.”  Serving up popcorn and drinks, Father Kleiner would thread the projector and show a film.

“We’d do different themes,” he said, “like an evening on good and evil featuring Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, then have a discussion afterward.”

Later, when he was pastor at Risen Christ Church, he came up with two programs using film about the lives of famous people in the Church; one focusing on women, the other on men.

“I take movies about these people and developed a script about their lives and how they are portrayed,” he said. “I show different pieces of each of the movies, depicting various aspects of their lives.  Each program runs about three hours.”

Some of the women featured in the program include Dorothy Day, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, St. Joan of Arc and Blessed Mother Teresa. The men’s program includes bits of the lives of St. Damien of Molokai, St. John of the Cross, St. Maximilian Kolbe and Blessed Pope John XXIII.  The list of possible subjects for people in the Church covers a wide field, but that’s not a problem for Father Kleiner as his collection of movies (including both VHS and DVD) numbers close to 6,500.  One thing he said that’s important is that people come away from his presentations knowing that saints were everyday people.

“I want to make them real, to show that they were ordinary people,” he said.  “I think we sometimes try to glamorize these saints.  We have to remember that they also struggled; they had their shadow sides and problems, too.”

A similar program Father Kleiner is offering, this one is a film about religious art through the ages and its symbolism, is scheduled to be shown at St. Mary’s Parish in Greeley on Feb. 6 and March 6.  Although Father Kleiner is providing the film, he did not create it.  The first program is on “Crucifixion and Resurrection,” the second will explore “Heaven and Hell: The Last Judgment.”

“The movie covers art from the Renaissance period right up until the present,” he said.  “It’s a big area to cover but such a collection of painting and sculptures. People really seem to enjoy it.”

One program Father Kleiner has put together himself is on aging. It explores how the aged have been portrayed in cinema through the years.  Film, he said, offers a multitude of themes people can explore. But not all films are for everyone. Guidance on films can be found on the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishop’s Web site, www.usccb.org/movies. There, the bishops’ Office of Film and Broadcasting rates films going back decades, provides information on movies released straight to DVD and maintains the Vatican’s Top 45 list of films.  More information can also be obtained by calling the office at 212-644-1880.

“This is perfect for people who want to get the Catholic Church’s view on a particular movie,” Father Kleiner said. “I think people need to know what their children are watching.”

RELIGIOUS FILM PROGRAM

“Crucifixion and Resurrection”
and
“Heaven and Hell: The Last Judgment”
will be shown from 9 a.m.-11 a.m. Feb. 6 and March 6
at St. Mary’s Church, 2222 23rd Ave., Greeley.
There is no cost to attend. 
For more information, call 970-352-1724.