Taking Chance: A Powerful Tribute to Veterans and to Integrity
The Catechism of the Catholic Church reminds us that “The bodies of the dead must be treated with respect and charity, in faith and hope of the Resurrection. The burial of the dead is a corporal work of mercy; it honors the children of God, who are temples of the Holy Spirit” (CCC 2300). I’ve never seen a more poignant demonstration of this corporal work of mercy than the movie Taking Chance. Kevin Bacon portrays Lt. Col. Michael Strobl as he escorts the remains of fallen Marine Chance Phelps to his final resting place.
The honor and respect Phelps receives as his remains travel across the country culminate in the following scene as Strobl and the hearse travel from Montana to Wyoming:
As Veteran’s Day approaches, I humbly offer this suggestion: take 77 minutes during the next few days to watch this powerful film. If it is appropriate to your classroom situation, perhaps you can even share it with your students (as always, be sure to preview it first). I show it to my students for three reasons:
- To remember and honor the sacrifice of those who serve our country in the military.
- To give students a concrete example of our duty to bury the dead.
- To show students a model of the following idea: “Character is what you do when you think no one is watching.”
Both of my grandfathers served in World War II, both of my parents served in the US Navy, and I have several relatives currently serving our country in various branches of the military. To them, and to veterans everywhere, Thank you for your service.
The Chicken Runs at Midnight – Catholics and Baseball
“The Chicken runs at midnight.” Stranger words were never spoken. But if you know the story of Major League Baseball coach Rich Donnelly, then you also know that more beautiful words have never been spoken. I first heard about Rich’s story through an amazing DVD called Champions of Faith. If baseball is your second religion after Catholicism, then you have to watch Champions of Faith. Some of the game’s biggest stars give witness to their Catholic faith: Mike Piazza, Mike Sweeney, David Eckstein, Sean Casey, Jim Leyland, Juan Pierre, Mike Scioscia…the list goes on.
The DVD is beautiful in every respect–gorgeous camera shots, poignant stories, inspiring music. With the baseball post-season just beginning, Champions of Faith might be a way to get your students more in touch with their own faith lives. The Champions of Faith website has resources for father/son retreats, youth ministry nights, and mini lessons for children. Take a look at the extended trailer:
For me, the most memorable part of the DVD is Rich Donnelly’s story about the origin of the phrase “The Chicken runs at midnight.” Here’s a low-quality video of Rich telling his story in a Lifetime channel special. You might want to get some tissue before you watch:
Celebrities Pray the Rosary in New DVD Release
What do World Series pitcher Jeff Suppan, NFL wide receiver Chris Horn, Transformers star Matthew Marsden, and Bella star Eduardo Verástegui, have in common? They’re all featured in a new DVD from Family Theater Productions titled Rosary Stars: Praying the Gospel.
This production looks like it will be a powerful new resource to encourage families to pray the rosary. According to the Family Theater Productions web site, the DVD will include a rosary tutorial, a history of the devotion, and a complete rosary led by celebrities from various fields.
The rosary is a great way to transition young Catholics into meditative prayer, because it blends the memorized prayers of their early years with contemplation on the life of Jesus.
Other stars include Rwandan genocide survivor Immaculée Ilibagiza, “Doritos girl” Ali Landry, and major league baseball All-Star Mike Sweeney. Take a look at the trailer:
To order the DVD, visit the Holy Cross Family Ministries online store.
Thanks to Jean at Catholic Fire for the tip.