Editor's Report

Reconciliation and Renewal, on Screen

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The theme of reconciliation has played out large in the archdiocese this Lent, beginning with Archbishop Dolan’s pastoral letter, “The Altar and the Confessional: A Pastoral Letter on the Sacrament of Penance,” issued on St. Patrick’s Day.

It continued during Holy Week, as the three dioceses of the southern part of New York coordinated efforts to offer an opportunity to receive the sacrament of reconciliation in their parishes on Reconciliation Monday, April 18.

The goodness generated by Reconciliation Monday was extended in a video contest for young people seeking to promote interest in the sacrament and offering scholarship prizes for the winners, which will be announced next month. Stories and advertisements in the general and Catholic press, including Catholic New York, introduced the subject to a wide audience.

Last week, I had an opportunity to view a new independent film by a New York filmmaker that is very much in keeping with the spirit of reconciliation and renewal that all Catholics should be experiencing as Holy Week advances to Easter.

The film, “Vito Bonafacci: In Search of the Truth,” certainly lives up to its title. By his own account, the film’s creator, John Martoccia, did not think he would be “the instrument” that God would use to make such a film.

But he did have the devotion and desire needed to embark on such a maiden voyage. A devout Catholic from upstate Utica in the Diocese of Syracuse, Martoccia told me that his movie odyssey started by attending film symposiums along with his oldest son. His prayers initially were that God “would use film and all media to bring people closer to him.”

When he started to explore the possibility of making his own movie, he literally began at square one. He had no contacts in the film industry. He made call after call, learning the ropes and picking up some bruises along the way. One of the biggest hurdles was learning “to believe that I could do it,” he said.

“I had to dig deep within myself and test my relationship with God, to go into the deep and see if I could do something I hadn’t done before. My faith was tested and grew through this project.”

Gradually, Martoccia put together a crew. He then assembled his cast of actors, opting for some professionals, including Paul Borghese, who plays the title character, and some amateurs, including Father Richard Dellos, a pastor in the Diocese of Syracuse, who lends an air of authenticity in his real life role as a priest. “He’s such a loving priest,” said Martoccia of Father Dellos, whom he counts as a friend.

Writing the script did not present a problem, said Martoccia, 54, who served as writer, producer and director of the self-financed movie, which is being released by CAVU Pictures.

Audiences will find the lifestyle of Vito Bonafacci very appealing. A successful businessman, he lives a very comfortable life and owns a beautiful home. “He’s a mainstream, conventional character,” Martoccia said.

Early in the film, however, he has an unsettling dream that causes him to question how he is living and seek answers to life’s purpose. The filmmaker hopes that his audiences ask themselves the same questions. “I want people to come to a deeper understanding of life’s purpose…People tend to go through life without reflecting on its purpose and meaning, death and the hereafter,” he said.

He also hopes the film leads people to the sacraments, especially those who are not currently receiving them. The sacrament of reconciliation plays a big role in “Vito Bonafacci.”

You could make the case that Catholicism itself plays the most prominent part in the film, although Martoccia feels that its universal message of conflict and conversion has a broad appeal as well.

If Catholics want to see their religion portrayed positively on screen, they should support films like “Vito Bonafacci.” It opens in Manhattan on Friday, May 6, at the AMC Loews Village 7.

Editor's Report