Kittens, “Cosmos,” Culture Wars, and the Coexistence of Science & Faith

Last updated on: December 23, 2014 at 7:19 pm By Tony Rossi

When the new version of the TV series “Cosmos” premiered a few months ago, it raised quite a kerfuffle on this blog and numerous others because of the shallow view the debut episode took of religion. Specifically, it suggested that religion was an enemy of science. In a new essay in “America” magazine, the Christopher Award-winning co-author of “Love and Salt,” Jessica Mesman Griffith, provides a refreshing perspective on the series and on the symbiotic relationship between science and faith... Read more

Restoring Order with Stories: Damon Lindelof, Walt Disney, & Faith/Parental Issues on “Lost”

Last updated on: December 23, 2014 at 7:21 pm By Tony Rossi

Sunday’s New York Times featured a fascinating profile of Damon Lindelof, who served as co-showrunner (along with Carlton Cuse) of the TV series “Lost.” Two of the primary tensions throughout the show’s six seasons were the struggle of the main character, Jack Shephard, to believe in a power greater than himself – and also to come to terms with the fact that his now-dead father was a distant soul to him during his life. In profiling Lindelof, as he prepares... Read more

Down Syndrome, Racial Harmony, & Hearing Impairment Themes in High School Poster Contest Winners

Last updated on: June 4, 2014 at 8:01 am By Tony Rossi

Today we’re highlighting the top three winners in The Christophers’ 24th Annual Poster Contest for High School Students. Each year, students – grades 9 through 12 – are invited to create a poster that visually interprets the theme, “You Can Make a Difference.” This year’s contest drew over 1,000 entries from high schools across the United States and around the world. Students employed a wide range of media in their submissions, including photography, computer art and drawing. The first prize... Read more

No Act of Service Was Beneath Him: Father Emil Kapaun’s Biographer on the Chaplain’s Legacy

Last updated on: June 3, 2014 at 10:29 am By Tony Rossi

“Every day was the day you were going to die. It was pretty much a place of hell and despair with no hope.” That’s how the former Allied soldiers, interviewed by Wichita Eagle reporters Roy Wenzl and Travis Heying for their Christopher Award-winning book “The Miracle of Father Kapaun,” described their lives in prisoner of war camps run by the North Koreans and Chinese during the Korean War. These soldiers endured freezing temperatures, starvation, and blood-sucking lice, which caused their... Read more

Nun and Priests Kidnapped by Terror Group Set Free

Last updated on: June 1, 2014 at 4:00 pm By Tony Rossi

Via NBC News and Reuters: YAOUNDE, Cameroon — Two Italian priests and a Canadian nun kidnapped in northern Cameroon nearly two months ago by suspected Boko Haram gunmen were released on Sunday, smiling and apparently in good health as they arrived in the capital. Giampaolo Marta and Gianantonio Allegri, missionaries from the diocese of Vicenza in northeast Italy, and Canadian Gilberte Bissiere were seized on the night of April 4 from the parish of Maroua, close to the border with... Read more

Murder and Human Dignity in “X-Men: Days of Future Past”

Last updated on: May 25, 2014 at 12:26 pm By Tony Rossi

Action movies often hinge on whether the good guys can defeat the bad guys in a giant battle royale. But “X-Men: Days of Future Past” presents a different question in its story: namely, can an act of nonviolence – specifically, preventing the murder of someone who arguably deserves to die – result in the desired victory? As the story begins in the year 2024, the X-Men we know from the original series of films (X-Men, X2, X-Men: The Last Stand)... Read more

Heaven, Iowa, and the Love of Fathers in “Field of Dreams”

Last updated on: December 23, 2014 at 7:23 pm By Tony Rossi

I didn’t realize that the movie “Field of Dreams” was now 25 years old until I read Kerry Weber’s exceptional essay about it on America magazine’s website. Her thoughtful and personal reflections examine the film’s inherent transcendence and spirituality in light of the love that her parents have always showed – and continue to show – her and her siblings. You should definitely read Kerry’s entire article, but first, here is an excerpt: In the film, based on the novel... Read more

Why “The Middle,” “Once Upon a Time,” & “Person of Interest” Deserve Emmy Noms

Last updated on: May 20, 2014 at 10:45 am By Tony Rossi

While I have a say in what projects win Christopher Awards every year, I have no say in what TV shows or stars get nominated for Emmys. A lot of my favorites are often overlooked to recognize edgier shows that push the envelope. While the voting process is ongoing, I figured I’d throw a few short suggestions out there: 1. Best Supporting Actress: Eden Sher as Sue Heck on “The Middle” – perhaps more than any character on television, Sue... Read more

The 2014 Christopher Awards: A Night of Celebrating Quality in Media and the Arts

Last updated on: June 27, 2014 at 9:13 am By Tony Rossi

Joined by a capacity crowd, the 2014 Christopher Awards were another rousing success, thanks to several factors: the quality of the work created by our winners, their presence at the ceremony, and the outstanding presenters who left the crowd feeling inspired – Master of Ceremonies Ernie Anastos from Fox5 New York, NBC News’s Senior White House Correspondent Chris Jansing, two-time Christopher Award-winning author Joan Bauer, and Father Jonathan Morris from The Christophers. We hope to have video of the ceremony... Read more

UPDATE WITH VIDEO: Once They Get Into the Shelter, There’s the Concept of Grace

Last updated on: May 19, 2014 at 8:09 am By Tony Rossi

Just ahead of this year’s Christopher Awards ceremony, where the film “Gimme Shelter” (now on DVD) will be one of our honorees, Catholic News Service profiled one of the movie’s inspirations: Kathy DiFiore, the founder of Several Sources Shelters, who I’ve interviewed a few times myself. Kathy, age 67, has been in the business of providing shelter for homeless, pregnant young women for close to 35 years. Here’s what she told CNS about her work and the movie: “I thought... Read more