Francesca Franchina, long time member of the Marianist Family, will be doing a series of Marian broadcasts through the local station for Radio Maria WHJM (FM 88.7) in Anna, Ohio.  Called "Francesca AND Friends: WHY MARY?" the program airs every Wednesday from 11:30 AM-12:30 PM EST focusing on: What in the world is going on about Mary; how to speak with others about Mary; and Mary in Scripture.

On December 20, Francesca Franchina speaks with Scripture Teacher, Master Catholic Catechist, and nurse, wife, mother of three, St. Luke the Evangelist parish volunteer and prolific writer, Glenda Canfield about the wonder of being Catholic, and the importance of Catholic Scripture Study focusing on Catholic Family Life.

The broadcast may also be heard on-line at radiomaria.us [Click on the BVMary photo ... Scroll down to RADIO MARIA USA (English) ... Click on the windows icon or which ever media program you have on your PC.].  The web site also provides access to some previous broadcasts.  We'll keep you informed about future programs.  Encores of each show are broadcast Monday nights from 8:30-9:30 pm EST two weeks after the original (e.g. Fran's talk with Nick Clooney on Darfur will air on December 25, 2006).

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From Signis

Public Session of Pontifical Academies: Mary Immaculate
Vatican City, December 7, 2006

On December 1^st, 2006, most countries will see the release of The Nativity Story.  It will roll out to other countries in the succeeding two weeks.  It is a Mary story, an Advent and Christmas story which will appeal to ‘Christians in the pews’ and should have a helpful pastoral impact.  As with The Passion of the Christ (though without the controversy), SIGNIS has prepared a comprehensive statement for its members and for anyone who would like to use part or all of it.

The Nativity Story is a worthy enterprise that, by and large, comes off well.  It is also a modest enterprise.  It is to the credit of New Line Cinema that they were prepared to venture into this kind of religious film-making.  Of course, the box-office success of The Passion of the Christ and the realisation that there was an audience for this kind of religious film was an encouragement.  Screenwriter Mike Rich (The Rookie, Finding Forrester) has a church background and a respect for his biblical sources.  Director Catherine Hardwicke (Thirteen, Lords of Dogtown) was an architect and production designer before her work as a director and she brings a detailed eye to sets and the re-creation of the era.  She has brought a personal devotion to the enterprise as well as a female perspective to the story.

New Zealand actress, Keisha Castle-Hughes (Whale Rider) fits the role of the young girl, Mary, very well--a bit stern at first but mellowing when Joseph accepts her.  Oscar Isaac as Joseph brings him to life.  The Iranian actress, Shohreh Aghdashloo is Elizabeth and the Israeli actress Hiam Abbass is the mother of Mary.  The whole cast, quite international, performs with the same slightly accented English.

As has been noted, the screenplay is well-grounded in the biblical texts, both the heritage of the Old Testament as well as the text and spirit of the Gospel infancy narratives.  This gives the film an advantage over narratives which limit the perspective to a literal reading of texts and rely on piety traditions for visual presentation.  It has also been noted that the screenplay offers substantial historical background to understand Palestine in these times and how the characters were influenced by their environment as well as by the harshness of authorities.

As with the apocryphal gospels of the early Christian centuries, the film is imaginatively inventive concerning incidents not in the Gospels as well as presenting scenes which are.  Nazareth was not an easy place to live in.  The residents were poor and oppressed, especially by taxation.  This had its consequences on work in the town, the fields and harvests, the making of basic foods and selling them, the work of builders and carpenters.  This is the credible and realistic setting of the film.  The other major invention is that of the journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem.  This is a very pleasing part of the film, giving enough time for us to appreciate the hardships (lack of food, desert crossings, dangerous rocky paths, the swirling Jordan, the approach to Jerusalem with road blocks, wayside preachers, fortune tellers, the bustle of the city) as well as conversation between Mary and Joseph about the future.

When the screenplay uses direct texts from the Gospels as part of the drama, it is not so effective.  They move too quickly.  This is the case when Mary arrives at Elizabeth's house and, barely, turning round Elizabeth utters the greeting verbatim from Luke and the acknowledgement of Mary as the mother of the Lord.

There are a lot of Magi sequences (too many) with more emphasis on the astronomy than on the Hebrew texts they also quote.  Their differing characters provide touches of broad humour as well.  On the other hand Ciaran Hinds is a sinister, egoistic and paranoid Herod--with a rather oily Antipas, his son, giving him sinister advice.

There will be some discussion about some of the visuals, especially the appearance of Gabriel.  He is a voice only for Zachary.  He is a swiftly place-changing physical presence to Mary (although the annunciation works quite well when it is filmed in close-ups of Mary and Gabriel in conversation).  He appears briefly in Joseph’s dream.  There is a bird motif at various moments representing the Holy Spirit that is sometimes too long and obvious.  The star and the light shining on the crib is too static and Christmas card-like.  The Silent Night ending seems a bit much but, on the other hand, it evokes memories of Christmas for the audience.

The appeal of the film is to the Christian audience which should welcome it--with the hope that it will have a wider appeal to non-Christians.

STUDY GUIDE:  in conjunction with the release of the film, a study guide, written by Sr Rose Pacatte FSP, has been published by Pauline Media, Boston.  Sr Rose has also edited a series of essays by women on Mary, also published by Pauline Media, Boston. www.pauline.org

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The director and editors of Mary Page under the auspices of the International Marian Research Institute do not necessarily endorse or agree with the events and ideas expressed in this feature. Our sole purpose is to report on items about Mary gleaned from a myriad of papers representing the secular press.

Shrine Church Dedication Date Announced
Guadalupeshrine.org (La Crosse, WI), August 4, 2006

1. From the first inspiration of the building of a shrine to Our Lady of Guadalupe here, the goal has been to build a beautiful church dedicated to Our Lord Jesus and His Mother and our Mother, our Lady of Guadalupe. The goal has been to build a church in which the Mother God will be venerated and will draw all to her Divine Son, the mercy of God Incarnate, above all, in the Holy Eucharist and Confession. Other buildings of the Shrine have necessarily preceded the construction of the Church but, thanks be to God, the construction of Our Lady's church is well on the way.

2. With deepest joy, I announce to you tonight the date of the dedication of the Shrine Church and its altar, in order that appropriate preparations can be made for the most solemn occasion and you can mark your calendars. The dedication of the Shrine Church and its altar of sacrifice will take place, God willing, on July 31, 2008, the sixth anniversary of the canonization of Saint Juan Diego by our late and most beloved Pope John Paul II at our Lady’s Shrine, under her maternal gaze, in Mexico City.

3. The work of the shrine is a spiritual work. It is in the hands of God. All of us who labor to carry it forward are deeply conscious that we, like St. Juan Diego, are messengers of Our Lady and, therefore, humble and trusting servants of God, our all-merciful and all-loving Father. Please pray, through the intercession of our Lady of Guadalupe, for God's continued blessing upon the Shrine. Please pray also for the continued generosity of the devoted sons and daughters of Our Lady of Guadalupe who, by their sacrificial contributions, have made and continue to make possible the development of this important work. I beg for your continued prayers and sacrifices so that Our Lady of Guadalupe may show God’s mercy and love to all who will visit her here.

4. Thank you for your presence this evening. My special thanks to the members of the Queen of the Americas Guild and to the Guild's President Frank Smoczynski, the Board of Directors, and, in a particular way, the Guild’s Spiritual Advisor, Bishop Joseph Madera; to the Board of Directors of the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe; and to Sister Christa Marie and the staff of the Shrine. Let us make an appointment tonight to be here on July 31, 2008, in praise and worship of almighty God Who has blessed us so abundantly here.

God bless you. May Our Lady hold you always in the crossing of her arms.

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